POSASR
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 6, 2017

Registration No. 333-219196

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Post-Effective Amendment No. 1

To

Form S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

SUMMIT MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, LP

SUMMIT MIDSTREAM HOLDINGS, LLC

SUMMIT MIDSTREAM FINANCE CORP.*

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   45-5200503
Delaware   45-1649688
Delaware   80-0930343

(State or Other Jurisdiction of

Incorporation or Organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 

1790 Hughes Landing Blvd, Suite 500

The Woodlands, TX 77380

(832) 413-4770

 

Brock M. Degeyter

1790 Hughes Landing Blvd, Suite 500

The Woodlands, TX 77380

(832) 413-4770

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number,

Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone

Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copy to:

Joshua Davidson

Jason A. Rocha

Baker Botts L.L.P.

910 Louisiana Street

Houston, Texas 77002

Tel: (713) 229-1234

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:

From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  ☐

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.  ☒

If this form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☒

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer   ☐  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller reporting company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

 

Title of Each Class of

Securities to be Registered

      Amount to be registered/proposed maximum offering price per unit/proposed    
maximum aggregate offering price per unit/amount of registration fee(1)

Common Units

   

Preferred Units

   

Debt Securities

   

Guarantees of Debt Securities(2)

   

Total

   

 

 

(1) An indeterminate aggregate initial offering price, principal amount or number of the securities of each identified class is being registered as may from time to time be offered hereunder at indeterminate prices. In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fee.
(2) No separate consideration will be received for any guarantee of debt securities; accordingly, pursuant to Rule 457(n) under the Securities Act, no separate registration fee is required.

 

* The companies listed below in the Table of Additional Registrant Guarantors are also included in this registration statement as additional registrants.

 

 

 


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TABLE OF ADDITIONAL REGISTRANT GUARANTORS

The following are additional registrants that may guarantee the debt securities registered hereby:

 

Exact Name of Registrant Guarantor as
Specified in its Charter(1)

   State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization
   I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number

Bison Midstream, LLC

   Delaware    36-4762273

Grand River Gathering, LLC

   Delaware    35-2417781

DFW Midstream Services LLC

   Delaware    27-0706575

Red Rock Gathering Company, LLC

   Delaware    84-1588906

Polar Midstream, LLC

   Delaware    61-1737183

Epping Transmission Company, LLC

   Delaware    32-0440263

Summit Midstream Marketing, LLC

   Delaware    81-1632974

Summit Midstream Permian, LLC

   Delaware    30-0988627

Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp.

   Delaware    82-2800287

 

(1) The address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of each of the additional registrant guarantor’s principal executive office is c/o Summit Midstream Partners, LP, 1790 Hughes Landing Blvd, Suite 500, The Woodlands, Texas 77380, (832) 413-4770. The primary standard industrial classification code number of each of the additional registrant guarantors is 4922. The name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of the agent for service for each of the additional registrant guarantors is Brock M. Degeyter, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Summit Midstream Partners, LP, 1790 Hughes Landing Blvd, Suite 500, The Woodlands, Texas 77380, (832) 413-4770.


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EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Summit Midstream Partners, LP’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-219196) (the “Registration Statement”) is being filed to register, in addition to the classes of securities originally registered, an indeterminate amount of preferred units representing limited partner interests in Summit Midstream Partners, LP, as permitted under Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, to file the required exhibits to the Registration Statement and to make certain other revisions.


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PROSPECTUS

 

 

LOGO

Summit Midstream Partners, LP

Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC

Summit Midstream Finance Corp.

Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests

Preferred Units Representing Limited Partner Interests

Debt Securities

 

 

Summit Midstream Partners, LP (the “Partnership,” “we,” “our” or “us”) may from time to time, in one or more offerings, offer and sell common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “common units”) or preferred units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the “preferred units”). We or Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, together with Summit Midstream Finance Corp., may offer and sell debt securities described in this prospectus. Summit Midstream Finance Corp. may act as co-issuer of the debt securities, and certain direct or indirect subsidiaries of the Partnership or Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC may guarantee any debt securities offered by this prospectus, if and to the extent identified in the related prospectus supplement. We refer to the common units, preferred units, debt securities and any related guarantees collectively as the “securities.”

We may offer and sell these securities in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of our offerings. We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters on a continuous or delayed basis. This prospectus describes only the general terms of the securities and the general manner in which we will offer the securities. The specific terms of any securities we offer will be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will describe the specific manner in which we will offer the securities and also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. The names of any underwriters and the specific terms of a plan of distribution will be stated in the prospectus supplement.

Our common units are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “SMLP.” We will provide information in the related prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any preferred units or debt securities that may be offered.

 

 

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should review carefully the risk factors described under “Risk Factors” beginning on page 3 of this prospectus for a discussion of important risks you should consider before you make an investment in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is November 6, 2017


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

     ii  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

     iii  

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     iv  

WHO WE ARE

     1  

RISK FACTORS

     3  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     5  

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

     6  

DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON UNITS

     7  

DESCRIPTION OF OUR PREFERRED UNITS

     9  

DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES AND GUARANTEES

     10  

PROVISIONS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT RELATING TO CASH DISTRIBUTIONS

     18  

THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

     27  

MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

     40  

INVESTMENT IN SUMMIT MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, LP BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

     57  

VALIDITY OF THE SECURITIES

     59  

EXPERTS

     60  

Neither we nor any underwriter has authorized anyone to provide you with any information or to make any representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. If anyone provides you with additional, different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the cover page of this prospectus or that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the documents incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since such dates. We will only offer to sell, and seek offers to buy, the securities registered under this prospectus in jurisdictions where such offers and sales are permitted.

 

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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may over time, in one or more offerings, offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of Summit Midstream Partners, LP and the securities that are registered hereunder. Each time we or Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, together with Summit Midstream Finance Corp., sell any securities offered by this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering and the securities being offered. Any prospectus supplement may also add to, update or change information contained in this prospectus. To the extent information in this prospectus is inconsistent with the information contained in a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.

Additional information, including our financial statements and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our reports filed with the SEC. Before you invest in our securities, you should carefully read this prospectus, including the information provided under the heading “Risk Factors,” any prospectus supplement, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement (including the documents described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information” in both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement), and any additional information you may need to make your investment decision.

 

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly, current and other reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) (File No. 001-35666). You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You can also obtain information about us at the offices of the NYSE, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

Our internet address is www.summitmidstream.com. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the SEC are available, free of charge, through our website, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports or filings are electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. Information on our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and you should not consider information contained on our website as part of this prospectus.

We “incorporate by reference” information into this prospectus, which means that we disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is deemed to be part of this prospectus, except for any information superseded by information contained expressly in this prospectus. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is current as of the date other than the date on the cover page of this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference in this prospectus the documents listed below and any subsequent filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (excluding information deemed to be furnished and not filed with the SEC) until all offerings under the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part are completed or terminated:

 

    Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, as filed with the SEC on February 27, 2017 (as subsequently updated by our Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on November 6, 2017);

 

    Our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2017, June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017, as filed with the SEC on May 5, 2017 (as subsequently updated by our Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on November 6, 2017), August 4, 2017 and November 3, 2017, respectively;

 

    Our Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC on February 3, 2017, February 15, 2017, February 21, 2017, February 27, 2017, May 31, 2017, August 8, 2017 and November 6, 2017; and

 

    The description of our common units contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A (File No. 001-35666) as filed with the SEC on September 26, 2012 and any subsequent amendment thereto filed for the purpose of updating such description.

You may request a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any exhibit specifically incorporated by reference in those documents, at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or phone number:

Summit Midstream Partners, LP

1790 Hughes Landing Blvd, Suite 500

The Woodlands, Texas 77380

Attention: Brock M. Degeyter

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and

Chief Compliance Officer

Telephone: (832) 413-4770

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Investors are cautioned that certain statements contained in this prospectus as well as in periodic press releases and certain oral statements made by our officials during our presentations are “forward-looking” statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may project, indicate or imply future results, events, performance or achievements and may contain the words “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result” and similar expressions, or future conditional verbs such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would” and “could.” In addition, any statement concerning future financial performance (including future revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects and possible actions taken by us, Summit Midstream Partners, LLC or our sponsor, Energy Capital Partners II, LLC, are also forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” included herein.

Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events and are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of our management team. All forward-looking statements in this prospectus and subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us, or to persons acting on our behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this paragraph. These risks and uncertainties include, among others:

 

    fluctuations in natural gas, natural gas liquids (“NGLs”) and crude oil prices;

 

    the extent and success of our customers’ drilling efforts, as well as the quantity of natural gas and crude oil volumes produced within proximity of our assets;

 

    failure or delays by our customers in achieving expected production in their natural gas, crude oil and produced water projects;

 

    competitive conditions in our industry and their impact on our ability to connect hydrocarbon supplies to our gathering and processing assets or systems;

 

    actions or inactions taken or nonperformance by third parties, including suppliers, contractors, operators, processors, transporters and customers, including the inability or failure of our shipper customers to meet their financial obligations under our gathering agreements and our ability to enforce the terms and conditions of certain of our gathering agreements in the event of a bankruptcy of one or more of our customers;

 

    our ability to acquire assets owned by third parties, which is subject to a number of factors, including prevailing conditions and outlook in the natural gas, NGL and crude oil industries and markets and our ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms;

 

    our ability to consummate acquisitions, successfully integrate the acquired businesses, realize any cost savings and other synergies from any acquisition;

 

    the ability to attract and retain key management personnel;

 

    commercial bank and capital market conditions and the potential impact of changes or disruptions in the credit and/or capital markets;

 

    changes in the availability and cost of capital and the results of our financing efforts, including availability of funds in the credit and/or capital markets;

 

    restrictions placed on us by the agreements governing our debt instruments;

 

    the availability, terms and cost of downstream transportation and processing services;

 

    natural disasters, accidents, weather-related delays, casualty losses and other matters beyond our control;

 

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    operational risks and hazards inherent in the gathering, treating and/or processing of natural gas, crude oil and produced water;

 

    weather conditions and terrain in certain areas in which we operate;

 

    any other issues that can result in deficiencies in the design, installation or operation of our gathering, treating and processing facilities;

 

    timely receipt of necessary government approvals and permits, our ability to control the costs of construction, including costs of materials, labor and rights-of-way and other factors that may impact our ability to complete projects within budget and on schedule;

 

    the effects of existing and future laws and governmental regulations, including environmental, safety and climate change requirements;

 

    changes in tax status;

 

    the effects of litigation;

 

    changes in general economic conditions; and

 

    certain factors discussed elsewhere in this prospectus.

Developments in any of these areas could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected or cause a significant reduction in the market price of our securities.

The foregoing list of risks and uncertainties may not contain all of the risks and uncertainties that could affect us. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus may not in fact occur. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

 

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WHO WE ARE

Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to the “Partnership,” “we,” “our,” “us” or like terms, refer to Summit Midstream Partners, LP and its subsidiaries. “Summit Holdings” refers to Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Partnership that may issue any debt securities offered by this prospectus. “Finance Corp.” refers to Summit Midstream Finance Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Summit Holdings that may act as co-issuer of any debt securities offered by this prospectus. Our “general partner” refers to Summit Midstream GP, LLC.

General

We are a growth-oriented limited partnership focused on developing, owning and operating midstream energy infrastructure assets that are strategically located in the core producing areas of unconventional resource basins, primarily shale formations, in the continental United States. We were formed in 2012 and our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “SMLP.”

Our systems gather natural gas from pad sites and central receipt points connected to our systems. Gathered natural gas volumes are compressed, dehydrated, treated and/or processed for delivery to downstream pipelines for ultimate delivery to third-party processing plants and/or end users. We also contract with producers to gather crude oil and produced water from wells connected to our systems for delivery to third-party rail terminals and pipelines in the case of crude oil and to third-party disposal wells in the case of produced water. We generally refer to all of the services our systems provide as gathering services. In addition to our gathering services, we also provide natural gas and crude oil marketing services in and around our gathering systems through our wholly owned subsidiary, Summit Midstream Marketing, LLC.

We are the owner-operator of or have significant ownership interests in the following gathering systems:

 

    Ohio Gathering, a natural gas gathering system and a condensate stabilization facility operating in the Appalachian Basin, which includes the Utica and Point Pleasant shale formations in southeastern Ohio;

 

    Summit Utica, a natural gas gathering system operating in the Appalachian Basin, which includes the Utica and Point Pleasant shale formations in southeastern Ohio;

 

    Bison Midstream, an associated natural gas gathering system operating in the Williston Basin, which includes the Bakken and Three Forks shale formations in northwestern North Dakota;

 

    Polar and Divide, crude oil and produced water gathering systems and transmission pipelines located in the Williston Basin, which includes the Bakken and Three Forks shale formations in northwestern North Dakota;

 

    Tioga Midstream, crude oil, produced water and associated natural gas gathering systems operating in the Williston Basin, which includes the Bakken and Three Forks shale formations in northwestern North Dakota;

 

    Grand River, a natural gas gathering and processing system located in the Piceance Basin, which includes the Mesaverde formation and the Mancos and Niobrara shale formations in western Colorado and eastern Utah;

 

    Niobrara G&P, an associated natural gas gathering and processing system operating in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, which includes the Niobrara and Codell shale formations in northeastern Colorado;

 

    DFW Midstream, a natural gas gathering system operating in the Fort Worth Basin, which includes the Barnett Shale formation in north-central Texas;

 

    Mountaineer Midstream, a natural gas gathering system operating in the Appalachian Basin, which includes the Marcellus Shale formation in northern West Virginia; and

 

    Summit Permian, an associated natural gas gathering and processing system under development in the northern Delaware Basin in southeastern New Mexico.

 

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Summit Holdings was formed under the laws of the State of Delaware on March 30, 2011, is wholly owned by the Partnership and indirectly owns substantially all of the Partnership’s operating assets.

Finance Corp. was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on May 29, 2013, is wholly owned by Summit Holdings, and has no material assets or any liabilities other than as a co-issuer of debt securities. Its activities are limited to co-issuing debt securities and engaging in other activities incidental thereto.

Our principal executive office is located at 1790 Hughes Landing Blvd, Suite 500, The Woodlands, Texas 77380, and our telephone number is (832) 413-4770.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Limited partner interests are inherently different from capital stock of a corporation, although many of the business risks to which we are subject are similar to those that would be faced by a corporation engaged in similar businesses. We urge you to carefully consider the risk factors below and included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, each as amended and updated from time to time, which are incorporated by reference into this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information included in this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference, in evaluating an investment in our securities. If any of the risks discussed in the foregoing documents were to materialize, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected and you could lose all or part of your investment. Please read “Forward-Looking Statements.”

The tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships or an investment in our common units could be subject to potential legislative, judicial or administrative changes and differing interpretations, possibly on a retroactive basis.

The present U.S. federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships, including us, or an investment in our common units may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial changes or differing interpretations at any time. From time to time, members of Congress and the President propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships. If successful, these or other similar proposals could eliminate the qualifying income exception to the treatment of all publicly traded partnerships as corporations, upon which we rely for our treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. One such proposal could limit our unitholders’ ability to deduct interest expenses for interest in excess of a percentage of our adjusted taxable income.

In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have issued final regulations concerning which activities give rise to qualifying income within the meaning of Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”). We do not believe the final regulations adversely affect the amount of our gross income treated as qualifying income or our ability to qualify as a publicly traded partnership. However, any change to these finalized regulations could modify the amount of our gross income that we are able to treat as qualifying income for the purposes of the qualifying income requirement.

Any modification to the U.S. federal income tax laws may be applied retroactively and could make it more difficult or impossible for us to meet the exception for certain publicly traded partnerships to be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We are unable to predict whether any of these changes or other proposals will ultimately be enacted. Any such changes could negatively impact the value of an investment in our common units.

If the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, it (and some states) may assess and collect any taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from us, in which case we may require our unitholders and former unitholders to reimburse us for such taxes (including any applicable penalties or interest) or, if we are required to bear such payment our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced.

For tax years beginning before January 1, 2018, any audit adjustments made by the IRS to our income tax returns may result in the payment of additional income taxes by our unitholders and former unitholders in accordance with their interests in us during the year under audit, but generally will not result in a payment of income tax by us. Pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, as amended by the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, if the IRS makes audit adjustments to our income tax returns, it (and some states) may assess and collect any taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest)

 

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resulting from such audit adjustment directly from us. Our general partner may elect to cause us to either pay the taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) directly to the IRS or, if we are eligible, issue a revised Schedule K-1 to each unitholder with respect to an audited and adjusted return. Although our general partner may elect to have our unitholders and former unitholders take such audit adjustment into account and pay any resulting taxes (including applicable penalties or interest) in accordance with their interests in us during the tax year under audit, there can be no assurance that such election will be practical, permissible or effective in all circumstances. If we cannot or do not elect to have our unitholders and former unitholders take such audit adjustments into account through revised Schedules K-1, our current unitholders may bear some or all of the tax liability resulting from such audit adjustment as a result of our direct payment of the tax liability, even if such unitholders did not own common units in us during the tax year under audit. If, as a result of any such audit adjustment, we are required to make direct payments of taxes, penalties and interest, we may require our unitholders and former unitholders to reimburse us for such taxes (including any applicable penalties or interest) or, if we are required to bear such payment our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

The actual application of proceeds to us from the sale of any particular offering of securities using this prospectus will be determined at the time of the offering and will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to such offering. The precise amount and timing of the application of these proceeds will depend upon, among other factors, our funding requirements and the availability and cost of other funds.

 

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RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table sets forth our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated on a consolidated historical basis. For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, “earnings” are defined as income before taxes and loss from equity method investees plus fixed charges and distributions from equity method investees less capitalized interest. “Fixed charges” consist of interest expensed and capitalized, amortization of debt issuance costs and an estimate of interest within rent expense.

 

     Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2017(1)
     Year Ended December 31,  
        2016      2015(2)      2014(3)      2013      2012  

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges(4)

     3.49x        1.49x        —              0.42x        2.44x        3.59x  

 

(1) The ratio of earnings to fixed charges does not include $22.0 million associated with our early extinguishment of debt relating to the redemption and call premiums on the 7.5% Senior Notes that occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2017.
(2) The ratio of earnings to fixed charges was negative for the year ended December 31, 2015. To achieve a ratio of earnings to fixed charges of 1:1, we would have had to generate an additional $185.0 million of earnings for the year ended December 31, 2015. Loss before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2015 included $248.9 million of goodwill impairments.
(3) The ratio of earnings to fixed charges was less than 1:1 for the year ended December 31, 2014. To achieve a ratio of earnings to fixed charges of 1:1, we would have had to generate an additional $31.5 million of earnings for the year ended December 31, 2014. Loss before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2014 included $54.2 million of goodwill impairment.
(4) Fixed charges do not include any portion of the expense associated with our deferred purchase price obligation that we owe pursuant to the terms of that certain Contribution Agreement, dated February 25, 2016, between us and Summit Midstream Partners Holdings, LLC.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON UNITS

The Common Units

The common units represent limited partner interests in us. The holders of common units are entitled to participate in partnership distributions and are entitled to exercise the rights and privileges available to limited partners under our partnership agreement. For a description of our cash distribution policy, please read this section and “Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions.” For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read “The Partnership Agreement.”

Our outstanding common units are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “SMLP,” and any additional common units we issue will also be listed on the NYSE. As of November 3, 2017, there were 73,060,122 common units outstanding. On November 3, 2017, the last reported sales price of our common units on the NYSE was $20.10 per common unit.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Duties. American Stock Transfer and Trust Company (“AST”) serves as the transfer agent, cash distribution paying agent and registrar for the common units. We will pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of common units except the following that must be paid by unitholders:

 

    surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes and other governmental charges in connection therewith;

 

    special charges for services requested by a common unitholder; and

 

    other similar fees or charges.

There will be no charge to unitholders for disbursements of our cash distributions. We will indemnify AST, its agents and each of their respective stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.

Resignation or Removal. The transfer agent may resign, by notice to us, or be removed by us. The resignation or removal of the transfer agent will become effective upon our appointment of a successor transfer agent, cash distribution paying agent and registrar and its acceptance of the appointment. If no successor has been appointed and has accepted the appointment within 30 days after notice of the resignation or removal, our general partner may act as the transfer agent and registrar until a successor is appointed.

Transfer of Common Units

By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units shall be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission are reflected in our books and records. Each transferee:

 

    automatically agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions of, and is deemed to have executed, our partnership agreement;

 

    represents and warrants that the transferee has the right, power, authority and capacity to enter into our partnership agreement; and

 

    gives the consents, waivers and approvals contained in our partnership agreement.

Our general partner will cause any transfers to be recorded on our books and records no less frequently than quarterly.

 

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We may, at our discretion, treat the nominee holder of a common unit as the absolute owner. In that case, the beneficial holder’s rights are limited solely to those that it has against the nominee holder as a result of any agreement between the beneficial owner and the nominee holder.

Common units are securities and any transfers are subject to the laws governing the transfer of securities.

Until a common unit has been transferred on our books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or stock exchange regulations.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR PREFERRED UNITS

Issuance of Preferred Units

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of limited partner interests, including preferred units and other equity securities, for any partnership purpose at any time, and from time to time, to such persons for such consideration and on such terms and conditions as our general partner shall determine, all without the approval of the unitholders. In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, any additional partnership interests that we issue may, in the sole discretion of our general partner, have special voting or other rights to which the common units are not entitled.

Should we offer preferred units under this prospectus, a prospectus supplement relating to the particular series of preferred units offered will include the specific terms of those preferred units, including, among other things, the following:

 

    the designation, stated value and liquidation preference of the preferred units and the number of preferred units offered;

 

    the initial public offering price at which the preferred units will be issued;

 

    any conversion or exchange provisions of the preferred units;

 

    any redemption or sinking fund provisions of the preferred units;

 

    any distribution rights of the preferred units;

 

    a discussion of any additional material federal income tax considerations regarding the preferred units; and

 

    any additional rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions of the preferred units.

Any preferred units will be fully paid and non-assessable when issued upon full payment of the purchase price therefor. The transfer agent, registrar and paying agent for the preferred units will be designated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES AND GUARANTEES

The following description, together with the additional information we include in any applicable prospectus supplement, summarizes certain general terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms of the series in a supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the supplement to what extent the general terms and provisions described in this prospectus apply to a particular series of debt securities.

As used in this section only, (i) the term “Company” refers only to Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC and not to any of its subsidiaries, (ii) the term “Finance Corp.” refers to Summit Midstream Finance Corp., (iii) the term “Parent” refers to Summit Midstream Partners, LP and not to any of its subsidiaries, and (iv) the terms “we,” “our,” “us” or “Issuers” refer to the Company and Finance Corp., unless expressly stated or the context otherwise requires.

We may issue debt securities either separately, or together with, or upon the conversion or exercise of or in exchange for, other securities described in this prospectus. Debt securities may be our senior, senior subordinated or subordinated obligations and, unless otherwise specified in a supplement to this prospectus, the debt securities will be our direct, unsecured obligations and may be issued in one or more series.

The debt securities will be issued under an indenture between us and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. We have summarized select portions of the indenture below. The summary is not complete. The form of the indenture has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement and you should read the indenture for provisions that may be important to you. In the summary below, we have included references to the section numbers of the indenture so that you can easily locate these provisions. Capitalized terms used in the summary and not defined herein have the meanings specified in the indenture.

General

The terms of each series of debt securities will be established by or pursuant to a resolution of the board of directors of our general partner and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a resolution of the board of directors of our general partner, in an officer’s certificate or by a supplemental indenture. (Section 2.2) The particular terms of each series of debt securities will be described in a prospectus supplement relating to such series (including any pricing supplement or term sheet).

We can issue an unlimited amount of debt securities under the indenture that may be in one or more series with the same or various maturities, at par, at a premium, or at a discount. (Section 2.1) We will set forth in a prospectus supplement (including any pricing supplement or term sheet) relating to any series of debt securities being offered, the aggregate principal amount and the following terms of the debt securities, if applicable:

 

    the title and ranking of the debt securities (including the terms of any subordination provisions);

 

    the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) at which we will sell the debt securities;

 

    any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

 

    the date or dates on which the principal of the securities of the series is payable;

 

    the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or the method used to determine the rate or rates (including any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the debt securities will bear interest, the date or dates from which interest will accrue, the date or dates on which interest will commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

 

   

the place or places where principal of, and interest, if any, on the debt securities will be payable (and the method of such payment), where the securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of

 

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transfer or exchange, and where notices and demands to us in respect of the debt securities may be delivered;

 

    the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which we may redeem the debt securities;

 

    any obligation we have to redeem or purchase the debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder of debt securities and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and in the terms and conditions upon which securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

    the dates on which and the price or prices at which we will repurchase debt securities at the option of the holders of debt securities and other detailed terms and provisions of these repurchase obligations;

 

    the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000, and any integral multiple thereof;

 

    whether the debt securities will be issued in the form of certificated debt securities or global debt securities;

 

    the portion of principal amount of the debt securities payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity date, if other than the principal amount;

 

    the currency of denomination of the debt securities, which may be U.S. Dollars or any foreign currency, and if such currency of denomination is a composite currency, the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;

 

    the designation of the currency, currencies or currency units in which payment of principal of, premium and interest on the debt securities will be made;

 

    if payments of principal of, premium or interest on the debt securities will be made in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which the debt securities are denominated, the manner in which the exchange rate with respect to these payments will be determined;

 

    the manner in which the amounts of payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities will be determined, if these amounts may be determined by reference to an index based on a currency or currencies other than that in which the debt securities are denominated or designated to be payable or by reference to a commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index;

 

    any provisions relating to any security provided for the debt securities;

 

    any addition to, deletion of or change in the Events of Default described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities and any change in the acceleration provisions described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

 

    any addition to, deletion of or change in the covenants described in this prospectus or in the indenture with respect to the debt securities;

 

    any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to the debt securities;

 

    the provisions, if any, relating to conversion or exchange of any debt securities of such series, including if applicable, the conversion or exchange price and period, provisions as to whether conversion or exchange will be mandatory, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion or exchange price and provisions affecting conversion or exchange;

 

    any other terms of the debt securities, which may supplement, modify or delete any provision of the indenture as it applies to that series, including any terms that may be required under applicable law or regulations or advisable in connection with the marketing of the securities; and

 

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    whether any of our Parent’s or any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries will guarantee the debt securities of that series, including the terms of subordination, if any, of such guarantees. (Section 2.2)

We may issue debt securities that provide for an amount less than their stated principal amount to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of their maturity pursuant to the terms of the indenture. We will provide you with information on the federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any of these debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

If we denominate the purchase price of any of the debt securities in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, or if the principal of and any premium and interest on any series of debt securities is payable in a foreign currency or currencies or a foreign currency unit or units, we will provide you with information on the restrictions, elections, general tax considerations, specific terms and other information with respect to that issue of debt securities and such foreign currency or currencies or foreign currency unit or units in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Transfer and Exchange

Each debt security will be represented by either one or more global securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”), or a nominee of the Depositary (we will refer to any debt security represented by a global debt security as a “book-entry debt security”), or a certificate issued in definitive registered form (we will refer to any debt security represented by a certificated security as a “certificated debt security”) as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as set forth under the heading “Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System” below, book-entry debt securities will not be issuable in certificated form.

Certificated Debt Securities. You may transfer or exchange certificated debt securities at any office we maintain in accordance with the terms of the indenture. (Section 2.4) No service charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of certificated debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with a transfer or exchange. (Section 2.7)

You may effect the transfer of certificated debt securities and the right to receive the principal of, premium and interest on certificated debt securities only by surrendering the certificate representing those certificated debt securities and either reissuance by us or the trustee of the certificate to the new holder or the issuance by us or the trustee of a new certificate to the new holder.

Global Debt Securities and Book-Entry System. Each global debt security representing book-entry debt securities will be deposited with, or on behalf of, the Depositary, and registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee of the Depositary.

Covenants

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement any restrictive covenants applicable to any issue of debt securities. (Article IV)

No Protection in the Event of a Change of Control

Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not contain any provisions which may afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event we have a change in control or in the event of a highly leveraged transaction (whether or not such transaction results in a change in control) which could adversely affect holders of debt securities.

 

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Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

The Company may not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of our properties and assets to any person (a “successor person”) unless:

 

    we are the surviving entity or the successor person (if other than the Company) is an entity organized and validly existing under the laws of any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes our obligations on the debt securities and under the indenture; and

 

    immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default (as defined in the indenture) or Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.

Notwithstanding the above, any of our subsidiaries may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of its properties to us or our Parent, and we may consolidate with, merge into or transfer all or part of our properties to our Parent. (Section 5.1)

Events of Default

“Event of Default” means with respect to any series of debt securities, any of the following:

 

    default in the payment of any interest upon any debt security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of the payment is deposited by us with the trustee or with a paying agent prior to the expiration of the 30-day period);

 

    default in the payment of principal of any debt security of that series at its maturity;

 

    default in the performance or breach of any other covenant or warranty by us in the indenture (other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in the indenture solely for the benefit of a series of debt securities other than that series), which default continues uncured for a period of 60 days after (i) we receive written notice from the trustee or (ii) the Issuers and the trustee receive written notice from the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series as provided in the indenture;

 

    certain voluntary or involuntary events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Issuers; and

 

    any other Event of Default provided with respect to debt securities of that series that is described in the applicable prospectus supplement. (Section 6.1)

No Event of Default with respect to a particular series of debt securities (except as to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) necessarily constitutes an Event of Default with respect to any other series of debt securities. (Section 6.1) The occurrence of certain Events of Default or an acceleration under the indenture may constitute an event of default under certain indebtedness of ours or our subsidiaries outstanding from time to time.

We will provide the trustee written notice of any Default or Event of Default within 30 days of becoming aware of the occurrence of such Default or Event of Default, which notice will describe in reasonable detail the status of such Default or Event of Default and what action we are taking or propose to take in respect thereof. (Section 6.1)

If an Event of Default with respect to debt securities of any series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing, then the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, by a notice in writing to us (and to the trustee if given by the holders), declare to be due and payable immediately the principal of (or, if the debt securities of that series are discount securities, that portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all debt securities of that series. In the case of an Event of Default resulting from certain events of

 

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bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, the principal (or such specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding debt securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder of outstanding debt securities. At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to debt securities of any series has been made, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may rescind and annul the acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal and interest, if any, with respect to debt securities of that series, have been cured or waived as provided in the indenture. (Section 6.2) We refer you to the prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities that are discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of a portion of the principal amount of such discount securities upon the occurrence of an Event of Default.

The indenture provides that the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture unless the trustee receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any cost, liability or expense which might be incurred by it in exercising such right or power. (Section 7.1(e)) Subject to certain rights of the trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series. (Section 6.12)

No holder of any debt security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to the indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any remedy under the indenture, unless:

 

    that holder has previously given to the trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to debt securities of that series; and

 

    the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have made written request, and offered reasonable indemnity or security, to the trustee to institute the proceeding as trustee, and the trustee has not received from the holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series a direction inconsistent with that request and has failed to institute the proceeding within 60 days. (Section 6.7)

Notwithstanding any other provision in the indenture, the holder of any debt security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal of, premium and any interest on that debt security on or after the due dates expressed in that debt security and to institute suit for the enforcement of payment. (Section 6.8)

The indenture requires us, within 120 days after the end of our fiscal year, to furnish to the trustee a statement as to compliance with the indenture. (Section 4.3) If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the securities of any series and if it is known to a responsible officer of the trustee, the trustee shall mail to each securityholder of the debt securities of that series notice of a Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs. The indenture provides that the trustee may withhold notice to the holders of debt securities of any series of any Default or Event of Default (except in payment on any debt securities of that series) with respect to debt securities of that series if the trustee determines in good faith that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of those debt securities. (Section 7.5)

Modification and Waiver

We and the trustee may modify and amend the indenture or the debt securities of any series without the consent of any holder of any debt security:

 

    to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;

 

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    to comply with covenants in the indenture described above under the heading “Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets”;

 

    to provide for uncertificated debt securities in addition to or in place of certificated debt securities;

 

    to add guarantees with respect to debt securities of any series or secure debt securities of any series;

 

    to surrender any of our rights or powers under the indenture;

 

    to add covenants or events of default for the benefit of the holders of debt securities of any series;

 

    to comply with the applicable procedures of the applicable depositary;

 

    to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any holder of debt securities;

 

    to provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of debt securities of any series as permitted by the indenture;

 

    to effect the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to the debt securities of any series and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture to provide for or facilitate administration by more than one trustee; or

 

    to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. (Section 9.1)

We may also modify and amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modifications or amendments. We may not make any modification or amendment without the consent of the holders of each affected debt security then outstanding if that amendment will:

 

    reduce the amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

    reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any debt security;

 

    reduce the principal of or premium on or change the fixed maturity of any debt security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation with respect to any series of debt securities;

 

    reduce the principal amount of discount securities payable upon acceleration of maturity;

 

    waive a default in the payment of the principal, premium or interest on any debt security (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities of any series by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities of that series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

    make the principal of or premium or interest on any debt security payable in currency other than that stated in the debt security;

 

    make any change to certain provisions of the indenture relating to, among other things, the right of holders of debt securities to receive payment of the principal of, premium and interest on those debt securities and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and to waivers or amendments; or

 

    waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security. (Section 9.3)

Except for certain specified provisions, the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series waive our compliance with provisions of the indenture. (Section 9.2) The holders of a majority in principal amount of the

 

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outstanding debt securities of any series may on behalf of the holders of all the debt securities of such series waive any past default under the indenture with respect to that series and its consequences, except a default in the payment of the principal of, premium or any interest on any debt security of that series; provided, however, that the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from the acceleration. (Section 6.13)

Defeasance of Debt Securities and Certain Covenants in Certain Circumstances

Legal Defeasance. The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, we may be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the debt securities of any series (subject to certain exceptions). We will be so discharged upon the deposit with the trustee, in trust, of money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. Dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money or U.S. government obligations in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities.

This discharge may occur only if, among other things, we have delivered to the trustee an opinion of counsel stating that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling or, since the date of execution of the indenture, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred. (Section 8.3)

Defeasance of Certain Covenants. The indenture provides that, unless otherwise provided by the terms of the applicable series of debt securities, upon compliance with certain conditions:

 

    we may omit to comply with the covenant described under the heading “Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets” and certain other covenants set forth in the indenture, as well as any additional covenants which may be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement; and

 

    any omission to comply with those covenants will not constitute a Default or an Event of Default with respect to the debt securities of that series (“covenant defeasance”).

The conditions include:

 

    depositing with the trustee money and/or U.S. government obligations or, in the case of debt securities denominated in a single currency other than U.S. Dollars, government obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency, that, through the payment of interest and principal in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or investment bank to pay and discharge each installment of principal of, premium and interest on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the debt securities of that series on the stated maturity of those payments in accordance with the terms of the indenture and those debt securities; and

 

    delivering to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of the debt securities of that series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and related covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit and related covenant defeasance had not occurred. (Section 8.4)

 

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Covenant Defeasance and Events of Default. In the event we exercise our option to effect covenant defeasance with respect to any series of debt securities and the debt securities of that series are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any Event of Default, the amount of money and/or U.S. government obligations or foreign government obligations on deposit with the trustee will be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of their stated maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of the acceleration resulting from the Event of Default. However, we shall remain liable for those payments. (Section 8.4)

No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees or Unitholders

None of our past, present or future directors, officers, employees or unitholders, as such, will have any liability for any of our obligations under the debt securities or the indenture or for any claim based on, or in respect or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. By accepting a debt security, each holder waives and releases all such liability. This waiver and release is part of the consideration for the issue of the debt securities. However, this waiver and release may not be effective to waive liabilities under U.S. federal securities laws, and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.

Governing Law

The indenture and the debt securities, including any claim or controversy arising out of or relating to the indenture or the debt securities, will be governed by the laws of the State of New York (without regard to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof other than Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law). (Section 10.10)

 

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PROVISIONS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT RELATING TO CASH DISTRIBUTIONS

Set forth below is a summary of the significant provisions of our partnership agreement that relate to cash distributions.

Distributions of Available Cash

General. Our partnership agreement requires that, within 45 days after the end of each quarter, we distribute all of our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date.

Definition of Available Cash. Available cash generally means, for any quarter, all cash on hand at the end of that quarter:

 

    less the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner at the date of determination of available cash for the quarter to:

 

    provide for the proper conduct of our business (including reserves for our future capital expenditures and anticipated future debt service requirements);

 

    comply with applicable law, any of our debt instruments or other agreements; or

 

    provide funds for distributions to our unitholders and to our general partner for any one or more of the next four quarters (provided that our general partner may not establish cash reserves for distributions unless it determines that the establishment of reserves will not prevent us from distributing the minimum quarterly distribution on all common units for the current quarter);

 

    plus, if our general partner so determines, all or any portion of the cash on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made subsequent to the end of such quarter.

The purpose and effect of the last bullet point above is to allow our general partner, if it so decides, to use cash from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter but on or before the date of determination of available cash for that quarter to pay distributions to unitholders. Under our partnership agreement, working capital borrowings are generally borrowings that are made under a credit facility, commercial paper facility or similar financing arrangement, and in all cases are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners, and with the intent of the borrower to repay such borrowings within 12 months with funds other than from additional working capital borrowings. The proceeds of working capital borrowings increase operating surplus and repayments of working capital borrowings are generally operating expenditures (as described below) and thus reduce operating surplus when repayments are made. However, if working capital borrowings, which increase operating surplus, are not repaid during the 12-month period following the borrowing, they will be deemed repaid at the end of such period, thus decreasing operating surplus at such time. When such working capital borrowings are in fact repaid, they will not be treated as a further reduction in operating surplus because operating surplus will have been previously reduced by the deemed repayment.

Intent to Distribute At Least the Minimum Quarterly Distribution. We intend to make a quarterly cash distribution to the holders of our common units to the extent we have sufficient cash from our operations after the establishment of cash reserves and payment of costs and expenses, including reimbursements of expenses to our general partner. Our quarterly distribution declared for the quarter ended September 30, 2017 is $0.575 per common unit, or $2.30 annualized. However, there is no guarantee that we will continue to pay a quarterly distribution on our common units at that level or at all. Even if our cash distribution policy is not modified or revoked, the amount of distributions paid under our policy and the decision to make any distribution is determined by our general partner, taking into consideration the terms of our partnership agreement.

General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights. Our general partner is currently entitled to a maximum 2.0% of all distributions that we make prior to our liquidation. Our general partner has the right, but

 

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not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its current general partner interest. Our general partner’s 2.0% interest in our distributions will be reduced if we issue additional units in the future and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest.

Our general partner also currently holds incentive distribution rights that entitle it to receive increasing percentages, up to a maximum of 50.0%, of the cash we distribute from operating surplus (as defined below) in excess of $0.46 per unit per quarter. The maximum distribution of 50.0% includes distributions paid to our general partner on its 2.0% general partner interest and assumes that our general partner maintains its general partner interest at 2.0%. The maximum distribution of 50.0% does not include any distributions that our general partner may receive on any common units that it owns.

Operating Surplus and Capital Surplus

General. All cash distributed to unitholders will be characterized as either being paid from “operating surplus” or “capital surplus.” We treat distributions of available cash from operating surplus differently than distributions of available cash from capital surplus.

Operating Surplus. We define operating surplus as:

 

    $50.0 million (as described below); plus

 

    all of our cash receipts after the closing of our initial public offering, excluding cash from interim capital transactions (as defined below), provided that cash receipts from the termination of a commodity hedge or interest rate hedge prior to its specified termination date shall be included in operating surplus in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such commodity hedge or interest rate hedge; plus

 

    working capital borrowings made after the end of a quarter but on or before the date of determination of operating surplus for that quarter; plus

 

    cash distributions (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights) paid on equity issued, other than equity issued in our initial public offering, to finance all or a portion of the construction, acquisition, development or improvement of a capital improvement or replacement of a capital asset (such as equipment or facilities) in respect of the period beginning on the date that we enter into a binding obligation to commence the construction, acquisition, development or improvement of a capital improvement or replacement of a capital asset and ending on the earlier to occur of the date the capital improvement or capital asset commences commercial service and the date that it is abandoned or disposed of; plus

 

    cash distributions (including incremental distributions on incentive distribution rights) paid on equity issued, other than equity issued in our initial public offering, to pay the construction-period interest on debt incurred, or to pay construction-period distributions on equity issued, to finance the capital improvements or capital assets referred to above; less

 

    all of our operating expenditures (as defined below) after the closing of our initial public offering; less

 

    the amount of cash reserves established by our general partner to provide funds for future operating expenditures; less

 

    all working capital borrowings not repaid within 12 months after having been incurred or repaid within such 12-month period with the proceeds of additional working capital borrowings.

As described above, operating surplus does not reflect actual cash on hand that is available for distribution to our unitholders and is not limited to cash generated by operations. For example, it includes a provision that will enable us, if we choose, to distribute as operating surplus up to $50.0 million of cash we receive in the future

 

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from non-operating sources such as asset sales, issuances of securities and long-term borrowings that would otherwise be distributed as capital surplus. In addition, the effect of including, as described above, certain cash distributions on equity interests in operating surplus is to increase operating surplus by the amount of any such cash distributions. As a result, we may also distribute as operating surplus up to the amount of any such cash that we receive from non-operating sources.

We define interim capital transactions as (i) borrowings, refinancings or refundings of indebtedness (other than working capital borrowings and items purchased on open account in the ordinary course of business) and sales of debt securities, (ii) sales of equity securities, (iii) sales or other dispositions of assets, other than sales or other dispositions of inventory, accounts receivable and other assets in the ordinary course of business and sales or other dispositions of assets as part of ordinary course asset retirements or replacements and (iv) capital contributions received.

We define operating expenditures as all of our cash expenditures, including, but not limited to, taxes, compensation of employees, officers and directors of our general partner, reimbursements of expenses to our general partner and its affiliates, interest payments, payments made in the ordinary course of business under interest rate hedge contracts and commodity hedge contracts (provided that (i) with respect to amounts paid in connection with the initial purchase of an interest rate hedge contract or a commodity hedge contract, such amounts will be amortized over the life of the applicable interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract and (ii) payments made in connection with the termination of any interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract prior to the expiration of its stipulated settlement or termination date will be included in operating expenditures in equal quarterly installments over the remaining scheduled life of such interest rate hedge contract or commodity hedge contract), and repayment of working capital borrowings; provided, however, that operating expenditures do not include:

 

    repayment of working capital borrowings where such borrowings have previously been deemed to have been repaid (as described above);

 

    payments (including prepayments and prepayment penalties) of principal of and premium on indebtedness other than working capital borrowings;

 

    expansion capital expenditures;

 

    payment of transaction expenses (including, but not limited to, taxes) relating to interim capital transactions;

 

    distributions to our partners; or

 

    repurchases of our units, other than repurchases to satisfy obligations under employee benefit plans or reimbursement of expenses of our general partner for purchases of units to satisfy obligations under employee benefit plans.

Capital Surplus. Capital surplus is defined in our partnership agreement as any distribution of available cash in excess of our cumulative operating surplus. Accordingly, except as described above, capital surplus would generally be generated by:

 

    borrowings other than working capital borrowings;

 

    sales of our equity and debt securities; and

 

    sales or other dispositions of assets, other than inventory, accounts receivable and other assets sold in the ordinary course of business or as part of ordinary course retirement or replacement of assets.

Characterization of Cash Distributions. Our partnership agreement requires that we treat all available cash distributed as coming from operating surplus until the sum of all available cash distributed since the closing of our initial public offering equals the operating surplus from the closing of our initial public offering through the

 

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end of the quarter immediately preceding that distribution. Our partnership agreement requires that we treat any amount distributed in excess of operating surplus, regardless of its source, as capital surplus. We do not anticipate that we will make any distributions from capital surplus.

Capital Expenditures

Maintenance capital expenditures are cash expenditures (including expenditures for the addition or improvement to, or the replacement of, our capital assets or for the acquisition of existing, or the construction or development of new, capital assets) made to maintain our operating income or operating capacity over the long term. A primary component of maintenance capital expenditures are expenditures to connect additional wells to our gathering systems to offset natural declines in production over time and for routine equipment and pipeline maintenance or replacement due to obsolescence.

Expansion capital expenditures are cash expenditures incurred for acquisitions or capital improvements that we expect will increase our operating income or operating capacity over the long term. Expansion capital expenditures include interest payments (and related fees) on debt incurred and issued to finance the construction of such capital improvement and paid in respect of the period beginning on the date that we enter into a binding obligation to commence construction of the capital improvement and ending on the earlier to occur of the date that such capital improvement commences commercial service and the date that such capital improvement is abandoned or disposed of. Examples of expansion capital expenditures include the acquisition of equipment, or the construction, development or acquisition of additional pipeline or treating capacity or new compression capacity, to the extent such capital expenditures are expected to expand our long-term operating capacity or operating income.

Capital expenditures that are made in part for maintenance capital purposes and in part for expansion capital purposes will be allocated between maintenance capital expenditures and expansion capital expenditures by our general partner.

Distributions of Available Cash from Operating Surplus

We make distributions of available cash from operating surplus for any quarter in the following manner:

 

    first, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until we distribute for each outstanding unit an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter; and

 

    thereafter, in the manner described in “—General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights” below.

The preceding discussion is based on the assumptions that our general partner maintains its 2.0% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

General Partner Interest and Incentive Distribution Rights

Our general partner is currently entitled to 2.0% of all distributions that we make prior to our liquidation. Our general partner has the right, but not the obligation, to contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us in order to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest if we issue additional units. Our general partner’s 2.0% interest, and the percentage of our cash distributions to which it is entitled from such 2.0% interest, will be proportionately reduced if we issue additional units in the future (other than the issuance of common units upon a reset of the incentive distribution rights) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us in order to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest. Our partnership agreement does not require that our general partner fund its capital contribution with cash. It may instead fund its capital contribution by the contribution to us of common units or other property.

 

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Incentive distribution rights represent the right to receive an increasing percentage (13.0%, 23.0% and 48.0%) of quarterly distributions of available cash from operating surplus after the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels have been achieved. Our general partner currently holds the incentive distribution rights, but may transfer these rights separately from its general partner interest at any time without the approval of any person.

The following discussion assumes that our general partner maintains its 2.0% general partner interest and that our general partner continues to own the incentive distribution rights.

If for any quarter we have distributed available cash from operating surplus to the common unitholders in an amount equal to the minimum quarterly distribution, we will distribute any additional available cash from operating surplus for that quarter among the unitholders and the general partner in the following manner:

 

    first, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.46 per unit for that quarter (the “first target distribution”);

 

    second, 85.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.50 per unit for that quarter (the “second target distribution”);

 

    third, 75.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives a total of $0.60 per unit for that quarter (the “third target distribution”); and

 

    thereafter, 50.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50.0% to our general partner.

Percentage Allocations of Available Cash from Operating Surplus

The following table illustrates the percentage allocations of available cash from operating surplus between the unitholders and our general partner based on the specified target distribution levels. The amounts set forth under “Marginal Percentage Interest in Distributions” are the percentage interests of our general partner and the unitholders in any available cash from operating surplus we distribute up to and including the corresponding amount in the column “Total Quarterly Distribution Per Unit Target Amount.” The percentage interests shown for our unitholders and our general partner for the minimum quarterly distribution are also applicable to quarterly distribution amounts that are less than the minimum quarterly distribution. The percentage interests set forth below for our general partner include its 2.0% general partner interest and assume that our general partner has contributed any additional capital necessary to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest and our general partner has not transferred its incentive distribution rights.

 

        Marginal Percentage Interest
in Distributions
 
    Total Quarterly Distribution
Per Unit Target Amount
  Unitholders     General partner  

Minimum Quarterly Distribution

  $0.40     98.0     2.0

First Target Distribution

  $0.40 up to $0.46     98.0     2.0

Second Target Distribution

  above $0.46 up to $0.50     85.0     15.0

Third Target Distribution

  above $0.50 up to $0.60     75.0     25.0

Thereafter

  above $0.60     50.0     50.0

General Partner’s Right to Reset Incentive Distribution Levels

Our general partner, as the initial holder of our incentive distribution rights, has the right under our partnership agreement to elect to relinquish the right to receive incentive distribution payments based on the initial target distribution levels and to reset, at higher levels, the minimum quarterly distribution amount and target distribution levels upon which the incentive distribution payments to our general partner would be set. If our general partner transfers all or a portion of our incentive distribution rights in the future, then the holder or holders of a majority of our incentive distribution rights will be entitled to exercise this right. The following

 

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discussion assumes that our general partner holds all of the incentive distribution rights at the time that a reset election is made. Our general partner’s right to reset the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels upon which the incentive distributions payable to our general partner are based may be exercised, without approval of our unitholders or the conflicts committee of our general partner, at any time when we have made cash distributions to the holders of the incentive distribution rights at the highest level of incentive distribution for each of the four consecutive fiscal quarters immediately preceding such time and the amount of each such distribution did not exceed adjusted operating surplus for such quarter, respectively. If our general partner and its affiliates are not the holders of a majority of the incentive distribution rights at the time an election is made to reset the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels, then the proposed reset will be subject to the prior written concurrence of the general partner that the conditions described above have been satisfied. The reset minimum quarterly distribution amount and target distribution levels will be higher than the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels prior to the reset such that our general partner will not receive any incentive distributions under the reset target distribution levels until cash distributions per unit following this event increase as described below. We anticipate that our general partner would exercise this reset right in order to facilitate acquisitions or internal growth projects that would otherwise not be sufficiently accretive to cash distributions per common unit, taking into account the existing levels of incentive distribution payments being made to our general partner.

In connection with the resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels and the corresponding relinquishment by our general partner of incentive distribution payments based on the target distributions prior to the reset, our general partner will be entitled to receive a number of newly issued common units and general partner units based on a predetermined formula described below that takes into account the “cash parity” value of the average cash distributions related to the incentive distribution rights received by our general partner for the two quarters immediately preceding the reset event as compared to the average cash distributions per common unit during that two-quarter period. Our general partner will be issued the number of general partner units necessary to maintain our general partner’s interest in us immediately prior to the reset election.

The number of common units that our general partner would be entitled to receive from us in connection with a resetting of the minimum quarterly distribution amount and the target distribution levels then in effect would be equal to the quotient determined by dividing (x) the average aggregate amount of cash distributions received by our general partner in respect of its incentive distribution rights during the two consecutive fiscal quarters ended immediately prior to the date of such reset election by (y) the average of the aggregate amount of cash distributed per common unit during each of these two quarters.

Following a reset election, the minimum quarterly distribution amount will be reset to an amount equal to the average cash distribution amount per unit for the two fiscal quarters immediately preceding the reset election (which amount we refer to as the “reset minimum quarterly distribution”) and the target distribution levels will be reset to be correspondingly higher such that we would distribute all of our available cash from operating surplus for each quarter thereafter as follows:

 

    first, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 115.0% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for that quarter;

 

    second, 85.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 125.0% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter;

 

    third, 75.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25.0% to our general partner, until each unitholder receives an amount per unit equal to 150.0% of the reset minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter; and

 

    thereafter, 50.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50.0% to our general partner.

 

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Distributions From Capital Surplus

How Distributions from Capital Surplus Will Be Made. We will make distributions of available cash from capital surplus, if any, in the following manner:

 

    first, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until we distribute for each common unit that was issued in our initial public offering, an amount of available cash from capital surplus equal to the initial public offering price of our initial public offering; and

 

    thereafter, as if they were distributions from operating surplus.

The preceding discussion is based on the assumption that our general partner maintains its 2.0% general partner interest and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

Effect of a Distribution from Capital Surplus. Our partnership agreement treats a distribution of capital surplus as the repayment of the initial unit price from our initial public offering, which is a return of capital. The initial public offering price less any distributions of capital surplus per unit is referred to as the “unrecovered initial unit price.” Each time a distribution of capital surplus is made, the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels will be reduced in the same proportion as the corresponding reduction in the unrecovered initial unit price. Because distributions of capital surplus will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels after any of these distributions are made, it may be easier for our general partner to receive incentive distributions. However, any distribution of capital surplus before the unrecovered initial unit price is reduced to zero cannot be applied to the payment of the minimum quarterly distribution.

Once we distribute capital surplus on a unit issued in our initial public offering in an amount equal to the initial unit price, we will reduce the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels to zero. We will then make all future distributions from operating surplus, with 50.0% being paid to the unitholders, pro rata, and 50.0% to our general partner. The percentage interests shown for our general partner include its 2.0% general partner interest and assume that our general partner has not transferred the incentive distribution rights.

Adjustment to the Minimum Quarterly Distribution and Target Distribution Levels

In addition to adjusting the minimum quarterly distribution and target distribution levels to reflect a distribution of capital surplus, if we combine our units into fewer units or subdivide our units into a greater number of units, we will proportionately adjust:

 

    the minimum quarterly distribution;

 

    the target distribution levels;

 

    the unrecovered initial unit price; and

 

    the number of general partner units comprising the general partner interest.

For example, if a two-for-one split of the common units should occur, the minimum quarterly distribution, the target distribution levels and the unrecovered initial unit price would each be reduced to 50% of its initial level. We will not make any adjustment by reason of the issuance of additional units for cash or property.

In addition, if legislation is enacted or if existing law is modified or interpreted by a governmental authority, so that we become taxable as a corporation or otherwise subject to taxation as an entity for federal, state or local income tax purposes, our partnership agreement specifies that the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels for each quarter may be reduced by multiplying each distribution level by a fraction, the numerator of which is available cash for that quarter (reduced by the amount of the estimated tax liability for such quarter payable by reason of such legislation or interpretation) and the denominator of which is the sum of available cash for that quarter (reduced by the amount of the estimated tax liability for such quarter payable by

 

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reason of such legislation or interpretation) plus our general partner’s estimate of our aggregate liability for the quarter for such income taxes payable by reason of such legislation or interpretation. To the extent that the actual tax liability differs from the estimated tax liability for any quarter, the difference will be accounted for in subsequent quarters.

Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation

General. If we dissolve in accordance with our partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to the unitholders and our general partner, in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation.

Manner of Adjustments for Gain. The manner of the adjustment for gain is set forth in our partnership agreement. Upon liquidation, we will allocate any gain to our partners in the following manner:

 

    first, to our general partner and the holders of units who have negative balances in their capital accounts to the extent of and in proportion to those negative balances;

 

    second, 98.0% to the common unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until the capital account for each common unit is equal to the sum of: (1) the unrecovered initial unit price; and (2) the amount of the minimum quarterly distribution for the quarter during which our liquidation occurs;

 

    third, 98.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to: (1) the sum of the excess of the first target distribution per unit over the minimum quarterly distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less (2) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the minimum quarterly distribution per unit that we distributed 98.0% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 2.0% to our general partner, for each quarter of our existence;

 

    fourth, 85.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 15.0% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to: (1) the sum of the excess of the second target distribution per unit over the first target distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less (2) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the first target distribution per unit that we distributed 85.0% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 15.0% to our general partner for each quarter of our existence;

 

    fifth, 75.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 25.0% to our general partner, until we allocate under this paragraph an amount per unit equal to: (1) the sum of the excess of the third target distribution per unit over the second target distribution per unit for each quarter of our existence; less (2) the cumulative amount per unit of any distributions of available cash from operating surplus in excess of the second target distribution per unit that we distributed 75.0% to the unitholders, pro rata, and 25.0% to our general partner for each quarter of our existence; and

 

    thereafter, 50.0% to all unitholders, pro rata, and 50.0% to our general partner.

The percentages set forth above are based on the assumption that our general partner has not transferred its incentive distribution rights and that we do not issue additional classes of equity securities.

Manner of Adjustments for Losses. Upon liquidation, we will generally allocate any loss to our general partner and the unitholders in the following manner:

 

    first, 98.0% to the holders of common units in proportion to the positive balances in their capital accounts and 2.0% to our general partner, until the capital accounts of the common unitholders have been reduced to zero; and

 

    thereafter, 100.0% to our general partner.

 

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Adjustments to Capital Accounts. Our partnership agreement requires that we make adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units. In this regard, our partnership agreement specifies that we allocate any unrealized and, for tax purposes, unrecognized gain resulting from the adjustments to the unitholders and the general partner in the same manner as we allocate gain upon liquidation. In the event that we make positive adjustments to the capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units, our partnership agreement requires that we generally allocate any later negative adjustments to the capital accounts resulting from the issuance of additional units or upon our liquidation in a manner which results, to the extent possible, in the partners’ capital account balances equaling the amount which they would have been if no earlier positive adjustments to the capital accounts had been made. In contrast to the allocations of gain, and except as provided above, we generally will allocate any unrealized and unrecognized loss resulting from the adjustments to capital accounts upon the issuance of additional units to the unitholders and our general partner based on their respective percentage ownership of us. If we make negative adjustments to the capital accounts as a result of such loss, future positive adjustments resulting from the issuance of additional units will be allocated in a manner designed to reverse the prior negative adjustments, and special allocations will be made upon liquidation in a manner that results, to the extent possible, in our unitholders’ capital account balances equaling the amounts they would have been if no earlier adjustments for loss had been made.

 

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THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

The following is a summary of the material provisions of our partnership agreement. We will provide prospective investors with a copy of our partnership agreement upon request at no charge.

We summarize the following provisions of our partnership agreement elsewhere in this prospectus:

 

    with regard to distributions of available cash, please read “Provisions of our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions;”

 

    with regard to the transfer of common units, please read “Description of Our Common Units—Transfer of Common Units;” and

 

    with regard to allocations of taxable income and taxable loss, please read “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences.”

Organization and Duration

We were organized in Delaware in May 2012 and have a perpetual existence.

Purpose

Our purpose under our partnership agreement is limited to any business activities that are approved by our general partner and in any event that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized under Delaware law; provided that our general partner may not cause us to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that our general partner determines would be reasonably likely to cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes.

Although our general partner has the power to cause us, our operating company and its subsidiaries to engage in activities other than the business of gathering, treating, processing and transporting natural gas and providing crude oil and produced water gathering services, our general partner has no current plans to do so and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our unitholders, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Our general partner is generally authorized to perform all acts it determines to be necessary or appropriate to carry out our purposes and to conduct our business.

Cash Distributions

Our partnership agreement specifies the manner in which we will make cash distributions to holders of our common units and other partnership interests as well as to our general partner in respect of its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights. For a description of these cash distribution provisions, please read “Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions.”

Capital Contributions

Unitholders are not obligated to make additional capital contributions, except as described below under “—Limited Liability.”

For a discussion of our general partner’s right to contribute capital to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest if we issue additional units, please read “—Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests.”

Voting Rights

The following is a summary of the unitholder vote required for approval of the matters specified below. Matters that require the approval of a “unit majority” require the approval of a majority of the common units.

 

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In voting their common units, our general partner and its affiliates will have no fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our unitholders, including any duty to act in the best interests of us or our unitholders, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

 

Issuance of additional units

No approval right.

 

Amendment of our partnership agreement

Certain amendments may be made by our general partner without the approval of the unitholders. Other amendments generally require the approval of a unit majority. Please read “—Amendment of Our Partnership Agreement.”

 

Merger of our partnership or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets

Unit majority in certain circumstances. Please read “—Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets.”

 

Dissolution of our partnership

Unit majority. Please read “—Termination and Dissolution.”

 

Continuation of our business upon dissolution

Unit majority. Please read “—Termination and Dissolution.”

 

 

Withdrawal of our general partner

Under most circumstances, the approval of a majority of the common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, is required for the withdrawal of our general partner prior to December 31, 2022 in a manner that would cause a dissolution of our partnership. Please read “—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner.”

 

Removal of our general partner

Not less than 66 23% of the outstanding units, voting as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates. Please read “—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner.”

 

Transfer of our general partner interest

Our general partner may transfer all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest in us without a vote of our unitholders to an affiliate or another person in connection with its merger or consolidation with or into, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets to, such person. The approval of a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, is required in other circumstances for a transfer of the general partner interest to a third party prior to December 31, 2022. Please read “—Transfer of General Partner Interest.”

 

Transfer of incentive distribution rights

Our general partner may transfer any or all of the incentive distribution rights to an affiliate or a third party without the consent of our unitholders. Please read “—Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights.”

 

Transfer of ownership interests in our general partner

No approval required at any time. Please read “—Transfer of Ownership Interests in Our General Partner.”

 

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Limited Liability

Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “Delaware Act”) and that it otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of our partnership agreement, its liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, subject to possible exceptions, to the amount of capital it is obligated to contribute to us for its common units plus its share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right of, or exercise of the right by, the limited partners as a group:

 

    to remove or replace our general partner;

 

    to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement; or

 

    to take other action under our partnership agreement;

constituted “participation in the control” of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that a limited partner is a general partner. Neither our partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against our general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for such a claim in Delaware case law.

Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner if, after the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, would exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership, except that the fair value of property that is subject to a liability for which the recourse of creditors is limited is included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds that liability. For the purpose of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of property subject to liability for which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years. Under the Delaware Act, a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of its assignor to make contributions to the partnership, except that such person is not obligated for liabilities unknown to it at the time it became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from the partnership agreement.

Our subsidiaries conduct business in eight states and we may have subsidiaries that conduct business in other states in the future. Maintenance of our limited liability as a member of our primary operating subsidiary, Summit Holdings, which we refer to as our “operating company,” may require compliance with legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the operating company conducts business, including qualifying our subsidiaries to do business there.

Limitations on the liability of members or limited partners for the obligations of a limited liability company or limited partnership have not been clearly established in many jurisdictions. If, by virtue of our ownership interest in our operating company or otherwise, it were determined that we were conducting business in any state without compliance with the applicable limited partnership or limited liability company statute, or that the right or exercise of the right by the limited partners as a group to remove or replace our general partner, to approve some amendments to our partnership agreement, or to take other action under our partnership agreement constituted “participation in the control” of our business for purposes of the statutes of any relevant jurisdiction, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the law of that jurisdiction to the same extent as our general partner under the circumstances. We will operate in a manner that our general partner considers reasonable and necessary or appropriate to preserve the limited liability of the limited partners.

 

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Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests

Our partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership interests for the consideration and on the terms and conditions determined by our general partner without the approval of our limited partners.

It is possible that we will fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units, preferred units or other partnership interests. Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with the then-existing holders of common units in our distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional common units, preferred units or other partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of common units in our net assets.

In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership interests (such as preferred units) that, as determined by our general partner, may have rights to distributions or special voting rights to which the common units are not entitled. In addition, our partnership agreement does not prohibit our subsidiaries from issuing equity securities, which may effectively rank senior to the common units.

Upon issuance of additional partnership interests (other than the issuance of common units upon a reset of the incentive distribution rights) our general partner will be entitled, but not required, to make additional capital contributions to the extent necessary to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest in us. Our general partner’s 2.0% interest in us will be reduced if we issue additional units in the future (other than in those circumstances described above) and our general partner does not contribute a proportionate amount of capital to us to maintain its 2.0% general partner interest. Moreover, our general partner has the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates, to purchase common units or other partnership interests whenever, and on the same terms that, we issue those interests to persons other than our general partner and its affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the percentage interest of the general partner and its affiliates, including such interest represented by common units, that existed immediately prior to each issuance. The holders of common units do not have preemptive rights under our partnership agreement to acquire additional common units or other partnership interests.

Amendment of Our Partnership Agreement

General. Amendments to our partnership agreement may be proposed only by our general partner. However, our general partner has no duty or obligation to propose any amendment and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or our unitholders, including any duty to act in the best interests of our partnership or our unitholders, other than the implied contractual covenants of good faith and fair dealing. In order to adopt a proposed amendment, other than the amendments discussed below, our general partner must seek written approval of the holders of the number of units required to approve the amendment or call a meeting of the limited partners to consider and vote upon the proposed amendment. Except as described below, an amendment must be approved by a unit majority.

Prohibited Amendments. No amendment may be made that would:

 

    enlarge the obligations of any limited partner without its consent, unless approved by at least a majority of the type or class of limited partner interests so affected; or

 

    enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable by us to our general partner or any of its affiliates without the consent of our general partner, which consent may be given or withheld in its sole discretion.

The provision of our partnership agreement preventing the amendments having the effects described in the clauses above can be amended upon the approval of the holders of at least 90.0% of the outstanding units, voting

 

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as a single class (including units owned by our general partner and its affiliates). As of November 3, 2017, our general partner and its affiliates beneficially owned approximately 43.5% of the outstanding common units.

No Unitholder Approval. Our general partner may generally make amendments to our partnership agreement without the approval of any limited partner to reflect:

 

    a change in our name, the location of our principal place of business, our registered agent or our registered office;

 

    the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of partners in accordance with our partnership agreement;

 

    a change that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for us to qualify or to continue our qualification as a limited partnership or a partnership in which the limited partners have limited liability under the laws of any state or to ensure that neither we, our operating company nor its subsidiaries will be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes;

 

    a change in our fiscal year or taxable year and related changes;

 

    an amendment that is necessary, in the opinion of our counsel, to prevent us or our general partner or its directors, officers, agents or trustees from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or “plan asset” regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA, whether or not substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;

 

    an amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the authorization or issuance of additional partnership interests or rights to acquire partnership interests;

 

    any amendment expressly permitted in our partnership agreement to be made by our general partner acting alone;

 

    an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a merger agreement that has been approved under the terms of our partnership agreement;

 

    any amendment that our general partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation by us of, or our investment in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity, as otherwise permitted by our partnership agreement;

 

    mergers with, conveyances to or conversions into another limited liability entity that is newly formed and has no assets, liabilities or operations at the time of the merger, conveyance or conversion other than those it receives by way of the merger, conveyance or conversion; or

 

    any other amendments substantially similar to any of the matters described above.

In addition, our general partner may make amendments to our partnership agreement, without the approval of any limited partner, if our general partner determines that those amendments:

 

    do not adversely affect in any material respect the limited partners considered as a whole or any particular class of partnership interests as compared to other classes of partnership interests;

 

    are necessary or appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion, directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority or contained in any federal or state statute;

 

    are necessary or appropriate to facilitate the trading of units or to comply with any rule, regulation, guideline or requirement of any securities exchange on which the units are or will be listed for trading;

 

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    are necessary or appropriate for any action taken by our general partner relating to splits or combinations of units under the provisions of our partnership agreement; or

 

    are required to effect the intent expressed in this prospectus or the intent of the provisions of our partnership agreement or are otherwise contemplated by our partnership agreement.

Opinion of Counsel and Limited Partner Approval. Our general partner will not be required to obtain an opinion of counsel that an amendment will not result in a loss of limited liability to the limited partners or result in our being treated as an entity for federal income tax purposes in connection with any of the amendments described above under “—No Unitholder Approval.” No other amendments to our partnership agreement will become effective without the approval of holders of at least 90.0% of the outstanding units voting as a single class unless we first obtain an opinion of counsel to the effect that the amendment will not affect the limited liability under applicable law of any of our limited partners.

In addition to the above restrictions, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the rights or preferences of any type or class of outstanding units in relation to other classes of units will require the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than the percentage sought to be reduced. Any amendment that would increase the percentage of units required to remove our general partner must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners whose aggregate outstanding units constitute not less than 90.0% of outstanding units. Any amendment that would increase the percentage of units required to call a meeting of unitholders must be approved by the affirmative vote of unitholders whose aggregate outstanding units constitute at least a majority of the outstanding units.

Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets

A merger or consolidation of us requires the prior consent of our general partner. However, our general partner has no duty or obligation to consent to any merger or consolidation and may decline to do so free of any duty or obligation whatsoever to us or the limited partners, including any duty to act in the best interests of our partnership or our unitholders, other than the implied contractual covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

In addition, our partnership agreement generally prohibits our general partner, without the prior approval of the holders of a unit majority, from causing us to, among other things, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our and our subsidiaries’ assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation, other combination or sale of ownership interests of our subsidiaries. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our and our subsidiaries’ assets without that approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our and our subsidiaries’ assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without that approval. Finally, our general partner may consummate any merger without the prior approval of our unitholders if we are the surviving entity in the transaction, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters, the transaction would not result in a material amendment to the partnership agreement (other than an amendment that the general partner could adopt without the consent of the limited partners), each of our units will be an identical unit of our partnership following the transaction and the partnership interests to be issued do not exceed 20.0% of our outstanding partnership interests immediately prior to the transaction.

If the conditions specified in our partnership agreement are satisfied, our general partner may convert us or any of our subsidiaries into a new limited liability entity or merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey all of our assets to, a newly formed limited liability entity, if the sole purpose of that conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in our legal form into another limited liability entity, our general partner has received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters and the governing instruments of the new entity

 

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provide the limited partners and our general partner with the same rights and obligations as contained in our partnership agreement. Our unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under our partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a conversion, merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other similar transaction or event.

Termination and Dissolution

We will continue as a limited partnership until dissolved under our partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:

 

    the withdrawal or removal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be our general partner other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with our partnership agreement or its withdrawal or removal following the approval and admission of a successor;

 

    the election of our general partner to dissolve us, if approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority;

 

    the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of our partnership; or

 

    there being no limited partners, unless we are continued without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act;

Upon a dissolution under the first clause above, the holders of a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our partnership agreement and appoint as a successor general partner an entity approved by the holders of units representing a unit majority, subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that:

 

    the action would not result in the loss of limited liability of any limited partner; and

 

    neither we nor any of our subsidiaries would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of that right to continue (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).

Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds

Upon our dissolution, unless we are continued as a limited partnership, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that are necessary or appropriate, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described in “Provisions of Our Partnership Agreement Relating to Cash Distributions—Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation.” The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time if it determines that an immediate sale or distribution would be impractical or would cause undue loss to our partners. The liquidator may distribute our assets, in whole or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the partners.

Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner

Except as described below, our general partner has agreed not to withdraw voluntarily as our general partner prior to December 31, 2022 without obtaining the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by the general partner and its affiliates, and furnishing an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. On or after December 31, 2022, our general partner may withdraw as general partner without first obtaining approval of any unitholder by giving at least 90 days’ written notice, and that withdrawal will not constitute a violation of our partnership agreement. Notwithstanding the information above, our general partner may withdraw without unitholder approval upon 90 days’ notice to the limited partners if at least 50.0% of the outstanding common units are held or controlled by one person and its

 

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affiliates, other than our general partner and its affiliates. In addition, our partnership agreement permits our general partner in some instances to sell or otherwise transfer all of its general partner interest in us without the approval of the unitholders. Please read “—Transfer of General Partner Interest” and “—Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights.”

Upon withdrawal of our general partner under any circumstances, other than as a result of a transfer by our general partner of all or a part of its general partner interest in us, the holders of a unit majority may select a successor to that withdrawing general partner. If a successor is not elected, or is elected but an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters cannot be obtained, we will be dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless within a specified period of time after that withdrawal, the holders of a unit majority agree in writing to continue our business and to appoint a successor general partner. Please read “—Termination and Dissolution.”

Our general partner may not be removed unless that removal is approved by the vote of the holders of not less than 66 23% of all outstanding units, voting together as a single class, including units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding common units. The ownership of more than 33 13% of the outstanding units by our general partner and its affiliates gives them the ability to prevent our general partner’s removal.

Our partnership agreement also provides that if our general partner is removed as our general partner under circumstances where cause does not exist and units held by the general partner and its affiliates are not voted in favor of that removal, our general partner will have the right to convert its general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights into common units or receive cash in exchange for those interests based on the fair market value of those interests as of the effective date of its removal.

In the event of removal of our general partner under circumstances where cause exists or withdrawal of our general partner where that withdrawal violates our partnership agreement, a successor general partner will have the option to purchase the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights of the departing general partner for a cash payment equal to the fair market value of those interests. Under all other circumstances where our general partner withdraws or is removed by the limited partners, the departing general partner will have the option to require the successor general partner to purchase the general partner interest of the departing general partner and its incentive distribution rights for their fair market value. In each case, this fair market value will be determined by agreement between the departing general partner and the successor general partner. If no agreement is reached, an independent investment banking firm or other independent expert selected by the departing general partner and the successor general partner will determine the fair market value. Or, if the departing general partner and the successor general partner cannot agree upon an expert, then an expert chosen by agreement of the experts selected by each of them will determine the fair market value.

If the option described above is not exercised by either the departing general partner or the successor general partner, the departing general partner’s general partner interest and its incentive distribution rights will automatically convert into common units equal to the fair market value of those interests as determined by an investment banking firm or other independent expert selected in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.

In addition, we will be required to reimburse the departing general partner for all amounts due to it, including, without limitation, all employee-related liabilities, including severance liabilities, incurred in connection with the termination of any employees employed by the departing general partner or its affiliates for our benefit.

Transfer of General Partner Interest

Except for transfer by our general partner of all, but not less than all, of its general partner interest to:

 

    an affiliate of our general partner (other than an individual); or

 

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    another entity as part of the merger or consolidation of our general partner with or into another entity or the transfer by our general partner of all or substantially all of its assets to such entity,

our general partner may not transfer all or any of its general partner interest to another person prior to December 31, 2022 without the approval of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding common units, excluding common units held by our general partner and its affiliates. As a condition of this transfer, the transferee must, among other things, assume the rights and duties of our general partner, agree to be bound by the provisions of our partnership agreement and furnish an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters.

Our general partner and its affiliates may, at any time, transfer units to one or more persons, without unitholder approval.

Transfer of Ownership Interests in Our General Partner

At any time, the owners of our general partner may sell or transfer all or part of their ownership interests in our general partner to an affiliate or a third party without the approval of our unitholders.

Transfer of Incentive Distribution Rights

Our general partner may transfer any or all of its incentive distribution rights to an affiliate or a third party without unitholder approval.

Change of Management Provisions

Our partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove our general partner or otherwise change our management. Please read “—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner” for a discussion of certain consequences of the removal of our general partner. If any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, acquires beneficial ownership of 20.0% or more of any class of units, that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group that acquires the units directly from our general partner or its affiliates or any transferee of that person or group that is approved by our general partner or to any person or group who acquires the units with the prior approval of the board of directors of our general partner. Please read “—Meetings; Voting.”

Limited Call Right

If at any time our general partner and its affiliates own more than 80.0% of the then-issued and outstanding limited partner interests of any class, our general partner will have the right, which it may assign in whole or in part to any of its affiliates or to us, to acquire all, but not less than all, of the remaining limited partner interests of the class held by unaffiliated persons as of a record date to be selected by our general partner, on at least 10, but not more than 60, days’ notice. The purchase price in the event of this purchase is the greater of:

 

    the highest price paid by our general partner or any of its affiliates for any limited partner interests of the class purchased within the 90 days preceding the date on which our general partner first mails notice of its election to purchase those limited partner interests; and

 

    the average of the daily closing prices of the partnership interests of such class for the 20 consecutive trading days preceding the date three days before the date the notice is mailed.

As a result of our general partner’s right to purchase outstanding limited partner interests, a holder of limited partner interests may have his limited partner interests purchased at an undesirable time or price. The tax consequences to a unitholder of the exercise of this call right are the same as a sale by that unitholder of his common units in the market. Please read “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Disposition of Units.”

 

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Meetings; Voting

Except as described below regarding a person or group owning 20.0% or more of any class of units then outstanding, unitholders who are record holders of units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited.

Our general partner does not anticipate that any meeting of unitholders will be called in the foreseeable future. Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of the unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Meetings of the unitholders may be called by our general partner or by unitholders owning at least 20.0% of the outstanding units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage. The units representing the general partner interest are units for distribution and allocation purposes, but do not entitle our general partner to any vote other than its rights as general partner under our partnership agreement, will not be entitled to vote on any action required or permitted to be taken by the unitholders and will not count toward or be considered outstanding when calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum, or for similar purposes.

Each record holder of a unit has a vote according to its percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Please read “—Issuance of Additional Partnership Interests.” However, if at any time any person or group, other than our general partner and its affiliates, or a direct or subsequently approved transferee of our general partner or its affiliates, acquires, in the aggregate, beneficial ownership of 20.0% or more of any class of units then outstanding, that person or group will lose voting rights on all of its units and the units may not be voted on any matter and will not be considered to be outstanding when sending notices of a meeting of unitholders, calculating required votes, determining the presence of a quorum or for other similar purposes. Common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and its nominee provides otherwise.

Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy material required or permitted to be given or made to record holders of common units under our partnership agreement will be delivered to the record holder by us or by the transfer agent.

Status as Limited Partner

By transfer of common units in accordance with our partnership agreement, each transferee of common units will be admitted as a limited partner with respect to the common units transferred when such transfer and admission are reflected in our books and records. Except as described above under “—Limited Liability,” the common units will be fully paid, and unitholders will not be required to make additional contributions.

Redemption of Ineligible Holders

In order to avoid any material adverse effect on the maximum applicable rates that can be charged to customers by our subsidiaries on assets that may be subject to rate regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or an analogous regulatory body in the future, each transferee of common units, upon becoming the record holder of such common units, will automatically certify, and the general partner at any time can request such unitholder to re-certify:

 

    that the transferee or unitholder is an individual or an entity subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us; or

 

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    that, if the transferee unitholder is an entity not subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us, as in the case, for example, of a mutual fund taxed as a regulated investment company or a partnership, all the entity’s owners are subject to United States federal income taxation on the income generated by us.

Furthermore, in order to avoid a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property, including any governmental permit, endorsement or other authorization, in which we have an interest as the result of any federal, state or local law or regulation concerning the nationality, citizenship or other related status of any unitholder, our general partner may at any time request unitholders to certify as to, or provide other information with respect to, their nationality, citizenship or other related status.

The certifications as to taxpayer status and nationality, citizenship or other related status can be changed in any manner our general partner determines is necessary or appropriate to implement its original purpose.

If a unitholder fails to furnish the certification or other requested information with 30 days or if our general partner determines, with the advice of counsel, upon review of such certification or other information that a unitholder does not meet the status set forth in the certification, we will have the right to redeem all of the units held by such unitholder at the market price as of the date three days before the date the notice of redemption is mailed.

The purchase price will be paid in cash or by delivery of a promissory note, as determined by our general partner. Any such promissory note will bear interest at the rate of 5.0% annually and be payable in three equal annual installments of principal and accrued interest, commencing one year after the redemption date. Further, the units will not be entitled to any allocations of income or loss, distributions or voting rights while held by such unitholder.

Indemnification

Under our partnership agreement we will indemnify the following persons, in most circumstances, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against all losses, claims, damages or similar events:

 

    our general partner;

 

    any departing general partner;

 

    any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner;

 

    any person who is or was a director, officer, managing member, manager, general partner, fiduciary or trustee of our subsidiaries, us or any entity set forth in the preceding three bullet points;

 

    any person who is or was serving, at the request of the general partner or any departing general partner or any of their affiliates, as an officer, director, managing member, manager, general partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person owing a fiduciary duty to us or our subsidiaries; and

 

    any person designated by our general partner.

Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Unless it otherwise agrees, our general partner will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or lend funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate, indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our partnership agreement.

Reimbursement of Expenses

Our partnership agreement requires us to reimburse our general partner for all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it makes on our behalf and all other expenses allocable to us or otherwise incurred by our

 

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general partner in connection with operating our business. These expenses include salary, bonus, incentive compensation and other amounts paid to persons who perform services for us or on our behalf and expenses allocated to our general partner by its affiliates. Our general partner is entitled to determine in good faith the expenses that are allocable to us.

Books and Reports

Our general partner is required to keep or cause to be kept appropriate books and records of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For fiscal and tax reporting purposes, we use the calendar year.

We will furnish or make available to record holders of common units, within 105 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements and a report on those financial statements by our independent public accountants, including a balance sheet and statements of operations and our equity and cash flows. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available summary financial information within 50 days after the close of each quarter. We will be deemed to have made any such report available if we file such report with the SEC on the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”) or make the report available on a publicly available website that we maintain.

We will furnish each record holder with information reasonably required for federal and state tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year. This information is expected to be furnished in summary form so that some complex calculations normally required of partners can be avoided. Our ability to furnish this summary information to unitholders will depend on the cooperation of unitholders in supplying us with specific information. Every unitholder will receive information to assist him in determining its federal and state tax liability and filing its federal and state income tax returns, regardless of whether he supplies us with the necessary information.

Right to Inspect Our Books and Records

Our partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to its interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable written demand stating the purpose of such demand and at its own expense, have furnished to him:

 

    a current list of the name and last known address of each record holder;

 

    copies of our partnership agreement and our certificate of limited partnership and all amendments thereto; and

 

    certain information regarding the status of our business and financial condition.

Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners any information that our general partner reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which our general partner in good faith believes is not in our best interests or could damage us or our business or that we are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential. Our partnership agreement limits the right to information that a limited partner would otherwise have under Delaware law.

Registration Rights

Under our partnership agreement, we have agreed to register for resale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”), and applicable state securities laws any common units or other partnership interests proposed to be sold by our general partner or any of its affiliates, other than individuals, or their assignees if an exemption from the registration requirements is not otherwise available. These registration rights continue for two years following any withdrawal or removal of Summit Midstream GP, LLC as our general partner. We are obligated to pay all expenses incidental to the registration, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

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Operating Agreement of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC

We conduct all of our operations through Summit Holdings and its operating subsidiaries. Under the amended and restated limited liability company agreement of Summit Holdings, the management of Summit Holdings is vested in us. As the sole member, we have the authority to cause Summit Holdings to make distributions to us, among other things, as required.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

This section is a summary of the material tax considerations that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel to our general partner and us, insofar as it relates to legal conclusions with respect to matters of U.S. federal income tax law. This section is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), existing and proposed Treasury regulations promulgated under the Code (the “Treasury Regulations”) and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Later changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “us” or “we” are references to Summit Midstream Partners, LP and our operating subsidiaries.

The following discussion does not comment on all federal income tax matters affecting us or our unitholders. Moreover, the discussion focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the U.S. and has only limited application to corporations, estates, entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, trusts, nonresident aliens, U.S. expatriates and former citizens or long-term residents of the United States or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions, tax-exempt institutions, foreign persons (including, without limitation, controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies and non-U.S. persons eligible for the benefits of an applicable income tax treaty with the U.S.), IRAs, real estate investment trusts (REITs) or mutual funds, dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities, U.S. persons whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar, persons holding their units as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction” or other risk reduction transaction, and persons deemed to sell their units under the constructive sale provisions of the Code. In addition, the discussion only comments to a limited extent on state, local and foreign tax consequences. Accordingly, we encourage each prospective unitholder to consult his own tax advisor in analyzing the state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of units and potential changes in applicable tax laws.

All statements as to matters of federal income tax law and legal conclusions with respect thereto, but not as to factual matters, contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us.

We will rely on opinions of Baker Botts L.L.P. An opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest of this sort with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for our units and the prices at which our units trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting and related fees, will result in a reduction in our cash available for distribution and thus will be borne indirectly by our unitholders and our general partner. Additionally, pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, as amended by the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, if the IRS makes an audit adjustment to any of our income tax returns, our unitholders will directly or indirectly bear any taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment (please read “—Administrative Matters—Information Returns and Audit Procedures”). Furthermore, the tax treatment of us, or of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.

For the reasons described below, Baker Botts L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues: (i) the treatment of a unitholder whose units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of units (please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Short Sales”); (ii) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read “—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees”) and (iii) whether our method for taking into account Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election” and “—Uniformity of Units”).

 

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Partnership Status

A partnership is not a taxable entity and incurs no federal income tax liability. Instead, each partner of a partnership is required to take into account his share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the partnership in computing his federal income tax liability, regardless of whether cash distributions are made to him by the partnership. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable to the partnership or the partner unless the amount of cash distributed to him is in excess of the partner’s adjusted basis in his partnership interest.

Section 7704 of the Code provides that publicly traded limited partnerships will, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations. However, an exception, referred to as the “Qualifying Income Exception,” exists with respect to publicly traded limited partnerships of which 90% or more of the gross income for every taxable year consists of “qualifying income.” Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the transportation, processing, storage and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and refined products thereof. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 5% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based upon and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us and our general partner and a review of the applicable legal authorities, Baker Botts L.L.P. is of the opinion that at least 90% of our current gross income constitutes qualifying income. The portion of our income that is qualifying income may change from time to time.

The IRS has made no determination as to our status or the status of our operating subsidiaries for federal income tax purposes. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P. on such matters. It is the opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P. that, based upon the Code, its regulations, published revenue rulings and court decisions and the representations described below that:

 

    We will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes; and

 

    Each of our operating subsidiaries will be treated as a partnership or will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes.

In rendering its opinion, Baker Botts L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Baker Botts L.L.P. has relied include:

 

    Neither we nor the operating subsidiaries has elected or will elect to be treated, or is otherwise treated, as a corporation for federal income tax purposes; and

 

    For each taxable year, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income of the type that Baker Botts L.L.P. has opined or will opine is “qualifying income” within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Code.

We believe these representations are true and expect that these representations will continue to be true in the future.

The present federal income tax treatment of publicly traded partnerships or an investment in the units of publicly traded partnerships may be modified by administrative, legislative or judicial interpretation at any time. For example, from time to time, the President and members of the U.S. Congress propose and consider substantive changes to the existing federal income tax laws that affect publicly traded partnerships, such as proposals eliminating the Qualifying Income Exception upon which we rely for our treatment as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

In addition, on January 24, 2017, the IRS and the U.S. Treasury Department published in the Federal Register final regulations regarding qualifying income under Section 7704(d)(1)(E) (the “Final Regulations”). The Final

 

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Regulations apply to taxable years beginning after January 19, 2017. Under current law and the Final Regulations, we believe that we satisfy the qualifying income requirement for us to be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, there are no assurances that current law or the Final Regulations will not be revised to take a position that is contrary to our interpretation.

If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as if we had transferred all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation, and then distributed that stock to the unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation should be tax-free to unitholders and us so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.

If we were treated as an association taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to our unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as taxable dividend income, to the extent of our current and accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital, to the extent of the unitholder’s tax basis in his units, or taxable capital gain, after the unitholder’s tax basis in his units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in a unitholder’s cash flow and after-tax return and thus would likely result in a substantial reduction of the value of the units.

The discussion below is based on Baker Botts L.L.P.’s opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

Limited Partner Status

Unitholders who are admitted as limited partners of Summit Midstream Partners, LP will be treated as partners of Summit Midstream Partners, LP for federal income tax purposes. Also, unitholders whose units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of their units will be treated as partners of Summit Midstream Partners, LP for federal income tax purposes.

A beneficial owner of units whose units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose his status as a partner with respect to those units for federal income tax purposes. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Short Sales.”

Income, gains, losses or deductions would not appear to be reportable by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore appear to be fully taxable as ordinary income. These holders are urged to consult their tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences to them of holding units in Summit Midstream Partners, LP. The references to “unitholders” in the discussion that follows are to persons who are treated as partners in Summit Midstream Partners, LP for federal income tax purposes.

Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership

Flow-Through of Taxable Income

Subject to the discussion below under “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Entity-Level Collections” and “—Administrative Matters—Information Returns and Audit Procedures,” we will not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each unitholder will be required to report on his income tax return his share of our income, gains,

 

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losses and deductions without regard to whether we make cash distributions to him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution. The income we allocate to unitholders will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his allocable share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year ending with or within his taxable year. Our taxable year ends on December 31.

Treatment of Distributions

Distributions by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent the amount of any such cash distribution exceeds his tax basis in his units immediately before the distribution. Our cash distributions in excess of a unitholder’s tax basis generally will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of the units, taxable in accordance with the rules described under “—Disposition of Units.” Any reduction in a unitholder’s share of our liabilities for which no partner, including the general partner, bears the economic risk of loss, known as “nonrecourse liabilities,” will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. To the extent our distributions cause a unitholder’s “at-risk” amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”

A decrease in a unitholder’s percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash. This deemed distribution may constitute a non-pro rata distribution. A non-pro rata distribution of money or property may result in ordinary income to a unitholder, regardless of his tax basis in his units, if the distribution reduces the unitholder’s share of our “unrealized receivables,” including depreciation recapture and/or substantially appreciated “inventory items,” each as defined in the Code, and collectively, “Section 751 Assets.” To that extent, the unitholder will be treated as having been distributed his proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and then having exchanged those assets with us in return for the non-pro rata portion of the actual distribution made to him. This latter deemed exchange will generally result in the unitholder’s realization of ordinary income, which will equal the excess of (i) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (ii) the unitholder’s tax basis (generally zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.

Basis of Units

A unitholder’s initial tax basis for his units will be the amount he paid for the units plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, by the unitholder’s share of our losses, by any decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and by his share of our expenditures that are not deductible in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized. A unitholder will have no share of our debt that is recourse to our general partner to the extent of the general partner’s “net value” as defined in Treasury Regulations under Section 752 of the Code, but will have a share, generally based on his share of profits, of our nonrecourse liabilities. Please read “—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

Limitations on Deductibility of Losses

The deduction by a unitholder of his share of our losses will be limited to the tax basis in his units and, in the case of an individual unitholder, estate, trust, or corporate unitholder (if more than 50% of the value of the corporate unitholder’s stock is owned directly or indirectly by or for five or fewer individuals or some tax-exempt organizations) to the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be “at risk” with respect to our activities, if that is less than his tax basis. A unitholder subject to these limitations must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause his at-risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction to the extent that his at-risk amount is subsequently increased, provided

 

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such losses do not exceed such unitholder’s tax basis in his units. Upon the taxable disposition of a unit, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at-risk limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at-risk limitation in excess of that gain would no longer be utilizable.

In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of the tax basis of his units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, reduced by (i) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (ii) any amount of money he borrows to acquire or hold his units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to the unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder’s at-risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the unitholder’s units increases or decreases, other than tax basis increases or decreases attributable to increases or decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities.

In addition to the basis and at-risk limitations on the deductibility of losses, the passive loss limitations generally provide that individuals, estates, trusts and some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations can deduct losses from passive activities, which are generally trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate, only to the extent of the taxpayer’s income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly traded limited partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will only be available to offset our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments, including our investments or a unitholder’s investments in other publicly traded limited partnerships, or the unitholder’s salary, active business or other income. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholder’s share of income we generate may be deducted in full when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss limitations are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at-risk rules and the basis limitation.

A unitholder’s share of our net income may be offset by any of our suspended passive losses, but it may not be offset by any other current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those attributable to other publicly traded limited partnerships.

Limitations on Interest Deductions

The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer’s “investment interest expense” is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer’s “net investment income.” Investment interest expense includes:

 

    interest on indebtedness properly allocable to property held for investment;

 

    our interest expense attributed to portfolio income; and

 

    the portion of interest expense incurred to purchase or carry an interest in a passive activity to the extent attributable to portfolio income.

The computation of a unitholder’s investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment or (if applicable) qualified dividend income. The IRS has indicated that the net passive income earned by a publicly traded limited partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders. In addition, the unitholder’s share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.

Recently proposed legislation would disallow a deduction for our interest expense for interest in excess of a percentage of our adjusted taxable income. We are unable to predict whether this change or other proposals will ultimately be enacted, but any such changes could limit the interest expense deduction available to our unitholders.

 

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Entity-Level Collections

If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or foreign income tax on behalf of any unitholder or our general partner or any former unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds. That payment, if made, will be treated as a distribution of cash to the unitholder on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a person whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. We are authorized to amend our partnership agreement in the manner necessary to maintain uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under our partnership agreement is maintained as nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of an individual unitholder in which event the unitholder would be required to file a claim in order to obtain a credit or refund.

Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction

In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. At any time that incentive distributions are made to our general partner, gross income will be allocated to our general partner to the extent of these distributions. If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated first to our general partner and the unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us to the extent of their positive capital accounts, as adjusted to take into account the unitholders’ share of nonrecourse debt, and, second, to our general partner.

Section 704(c) of the Code and related Treasury Regulations require us to adjust the “book” basis of all assets held by us prior to an issuance of additional units to equal their fair market values at the time of a unit issuance. Purchasers of units in an offering are entitled to calculate tax depreciation and amortization deductions and other relevant tax items with respect to our assets based upon that “book” basis, which effectively puts purchasers in that offering in the same position as if our assets had a tax basis equal to their fair market value at the time of unit issuance. This may have the effect of decreasing the amount of our tax depreciation or amortization deductions thereafter allocated to purchasers of units in an earlier offering or of requiring purchasers of units in an earlier offering to thereafter recognize “remedial income” rather than depreciation and amortization deductions. In this context, we use the term “book” as that term is used in Treasury Regulations under Section 704 of the Code. The “book” basis assigned to our assets for this purpose may not be the same as the book value of our property for financial reporting purposes.

In addition, items of recapture income will be allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to the treatment of that gain as recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by some unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in the creation of negative capital accounts, if negative capital accounts nevertheless result, items of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the negative balance as quickly as possible.

An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required under the Section 704(c) principles described above, will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has “substantial economic effect.” In any other case, a partner’s share of an item will be determined on the basis of his interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:

 

    his relative contributions to us;

 

    the interests of all the partners in profits and losses;

 

    the interest of all the partners in cash flows; and

 

    the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation.

 

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Baker Botts L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election” and “—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees,” and “—Uniformity of Units,” allocations under our partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.

Treatment of Short Sales

A unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, he would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period:

 

    any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those units would not be reportable by the unitholder;

 

    any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units would be fully taxable; and

 

    while not entirely free from doubt, all of these distributions would appear to be ordinary income.

Because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on the issue relating to partnership interests, Baker Botts L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder whose units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of units; therefore, unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan to a short seller are urged to consult a tax advisor to discuss whether it is advisable to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and loaning their units. The IRS has previously announced that it is studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please read “—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

Alternative Minimum Tax

Each unitholder will be required to take into account his distributive share of any items of our income, gain, loss or deduction for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. The minimum tax rate for non-corporate married taxpayers filing jointly in 2017 is 26% on the first $187,800 of alternative minimum taxable income in excess of the exemption amount and 28% on any additional alternative minimum taxable income. Prospective unitholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the impact of an investment in units on their liability for the alternative minimum tax.

Tax Rates

The highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 39.6% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than twelve months) of individuals is 20%. Such rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.

In addition, a 3.8% Medicare tax, or NIIT, applies to certain net investment income earned by individuals, estates and trusts. For these purposes, net investment income generally includes a unitholder’s allocable share of our income and gain realized by a unitholder from a sale of units. In the case of an individual, the tax is imposed on the lesser of (i) the unitholder’s net investment income and (ii) the amount by which the unitholder’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if the unitholder is married and filing separately) or $200,000 (in any other case). In the case of an estate or trust, the tax is imposed on the lesser of (i) undistributed net investment income and (ii) the excess adjusted gross income over the dollar amount at which the highest income tax bracket applicable to an estate or trust begins.

 

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Section 754 Election

We have made an election permitted by Section 754 of the Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS unless there is a constructive termination of the partnership. Please read “—Disposition of Units—Constructive Termination.” The election will generally permit us to adjust a unit purchaser’s tax basis in our assets (“inside basis”) under Section 743(b) of the Code to reflect his purchase price. This election does not apply with respect to a person who purchases units directly from us. The Section 743(b) adjustment belongs to the purchaser and not to other unitholders. For purposes of this discussion, the inside basis in our assets with respect to a unitholder will be considered to have two components: (i) his share of our tax basis in our assets, or common basis, and (ii) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis.

The timing of deductions attributable to a Section 743(b) adjustment to our common basis will depend upon a number of factors, including the nature of the assets to which the adjustment is allocable, the extent to which the adjustment offsets any Section 704(c) type gain or loss with respect to an asset and certain elections we make as to the manner in which we apply Section 704(c) principles with respect to an asset with respect to which the adjustment is allocable. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.” The timing of these deductions may affect the uniformity of our units. Please read “—Uniformity of Units.”

A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is higher than the units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. In that case, as a result of the election, the transferee would have, among other items, a greater amount of depreciation deductions and his share of any gain or loss on a sale of our assets would be less. Conversely, a Section 754 election is disadvantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is lower than those units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Thus, the fair market value of the units may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by the election. A basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made in the case of a transfer of an interest in us if we have a substantial built-in loss immediately after the transfer, or if we distribute property and have a substantial basis reduction. Generally a built-in loss or a basis reduction is substantial if it exceeds $250,000.

The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. For example, the allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment among our assets must be made in accordance with the Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment allocated by us to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally nonamortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure you that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS and that the deductions resulting from them will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than he would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.

Tax Treatment of Operations

Accounting Method and Taxable Year

We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of his units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of his taxable year must include his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for his taxable year, with the result that he will be required to include in income for his taxable year his share of more than twelve months of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read “—Disposition of Units—Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”

 

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Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization

The tax basis of our assets will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. The federal income tax burden associated with the difference between the fair market value of our assets and their tax basis immediately prior to an offering will be borne by our general partner and all of our unitholders as of that time. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.”

To the extent allowable, we may elect to use the depreciation and cost recovery methods, including bonus depreciation to the extent available, that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets subject to these allowances are placed in service. Part of or all of the goodwill, going concern value and other intangible assets we have acquired or will acquire in connection with an offering may not produce any amortization deductions because of the application of the anti-churning restrictions of Section 197 of the Code. Please read “—Uniformity of Units.” Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the Code.

If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation previously deducted and the nature of the property, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of his interest in us. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” and “—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

The costs we incur in selling our units (called “syndication expenses”) must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. There are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us. The underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses.

Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties

The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values, and the initial tax bases, of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deductions previously reported by unitholders might change, and unitholders might be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.

Disposition of Units

Recognition of Gain or Loss

Gain or loss will be recognized on a sale of units equal to the difference between the amount realized and the unitholder’s tax basis for the units sold. A unitholder’s amount realized will be measured by the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property received by him plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.

Prior distributions from us that in the aggregate were in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a unit and, therefore, decreased a unitholder’s tax basis in that unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the unit is sold at a price greater than the unitholder’s tax basis in that unit, even if the price received is less than his original cost.

 

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Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder, other than a “dealer” in units, on the sale or exchange of a unit will generally be taxable as capital gain or loss. Capital gain recognized by an individual on the sale of units held for more than twelve months will generally be taxed at the U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains. However, a portion of this gain or loss, which will likely be substantial, will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to depreciation recapture or other “unrealized receivables” or to “inventory items” we own. The term “unrealized receivables” includes potential recapture items, including depreciation recapture. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables, inventory items and depreciation recapture may exceed net taxable gain realized upon the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and a capital loss upon a sale of units. Capital losses may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gains in the case of corporations. Both ordinary income and capital gain recognized on a sale of units may be subject to the NIIT in certain circumstances. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Tax Rates.”

The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an “equitable apportionment” method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner’s tax basis in his entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner’s entire interest in the partnership. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed above, a unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, he may designate specific units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or a sale of units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.

Specific provisions of the Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an “appreciated” partnership interest, one in which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, if the taxpayer or related persons enter(s) into:

 

    a short sale;

 

    an offsetting notional principal contract; or

 

    a futures or forward contract;

in each case, with respect to the partnership interest or substantially identical property.

Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to issue regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.

Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees

In general, our taxable income or loss will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them

 

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as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “Allocation Date.” However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets or, in the discretion of the general partner, any other extraordinary item of income, gain, loss or deduction will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which such income, gain, loss or deduction is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.

Simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions. The U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS adopted final Treasury Regulations allowing a similar monthly simplifying convention. However, the final regulations do not specifically authorize all aspects of the proration method we have currently adopted. Accordingly, Baker Botts L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferee and transferor unitholders. If the IRS takes the position that this method is not allowed under the final Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder’s interest, our taxable income or losses could be reallocated among our unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferee and transferor unitholders, as well as among unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations.

A unitholder who disposes of units prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deduction attributable to the month of disposition but will not be entitled to receive a cash distribution for that period.

Notification Requirements

A unitholder who sells any of his units is generally required to notify us in writing of that sale within 30 days after the sale (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the sale). A purchaser of units who purchases units from another unitholder is also generally required to notify us in writing of that purchase within 30 days after the purchase. Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS of that transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a purchase may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the U.S. and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.

Constructive Termination

We will be considered to have technically terminated our partnership for federal income tax purposes if there is a sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of determining whether the 50% threshold has been met, multiple sales of the same interest will be counted only once. Our technical termination would, among other things, result in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders, which would result in us filing two tax returns (and our unitholders could receive two schedules K-1 if relief was not available, as described below) for one fiscal year and could result in a deferral of depreciation deductions allowable in computing our taxable income. A sale or exchange of 50% or more of the total interests in the capital and profits of any entity in which we own an interest that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes within a twelve-month period will result in a technical termination of such entity and could also result in a deferral of depreciation deductions allowable in computing our taxable income. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year caused by our technical termination may also result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. Our termination currently would not affect our classification as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, but instead we would be treated as a new partnership for federal income tax purposes. If treated as a new partnership, we must make new tax elections, including a new election under Section 754 of the Code, and could be subject to penalties if we are unable to determine that a termination occurred. The IRS has recently announced a publicly traded limited partnership technical termination relief program whereby, if a publicly traded limited partnership that technically

 

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terminated requests publicly traded limited partnership technical termination relief and such relief is granted by the IRS, among other things, the partnership will only have to provide one Schedule K-1 to unitholders for the year notwithstanding two partnership tax years.

Uniformity of Units

Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements, both statutory and regulatory. Any non-uniformity could have an impact upon the value of our units. The timing of deductions attributable to Section 743(b) adjustments to the common basis of our assets with respect to persons purchasing units from another unitholder may affect the uniformity of our units. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election.”

For example, some types of depreciable assets are not subject to the typical rules governing depreciation (under Section 168 of the Code) or amortization (under Section 197 of the Code). If we were to acquire any assets of that type, the timing of a unit purchaser’s deductions with respect to Section 743(b) adjustments to the common basis of those assets might differ depending upon when and to whom the unit he purchased was originally issued. We do not currently expect to acquire any assets of that type. However, if we were to acquire a material amount of assets of that type, we intend to adopt tax positions as to those assets that will not result in any such lack of uniformity. Any such tax positions taken by us might result in allocations to some unitholders of smaller depreciation deductions than they would otherwise be entitled to receive. Baker Botts L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to those types of tax positions. Moreover, the IRS might challenge those tax positions. If we took such a tax position and the IRS successfully challenged the position, the uniformity of our units might be affected, and the gain from the sale of our units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions. Please read “—Disposition of Units—Recognition of Gain or Loss.”

Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors

Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign persons raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below to a limited extent, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our units. Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income allocated to a unitholder that is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to it.

Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own units will be considered to be engaged in business in the U.S. because of the ownership of units. As a consequence, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded limited partnerships, our quarterly distribution to foreign unitholders will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Each foreign unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes. A change in applicable law may require us to change these procedures.

In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns units will be treated as engaged in a U.S. trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the U.S. branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our earnings and profits, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation’s “U.S. net equity,” that is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the U.S. and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is

 

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a “qualified resident.” In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Code.

A foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a unit will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the foreign unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS, interpreting the scope of “effectively connected income,” a foreign unitholder would be considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. by virtue of the U.S. activities of the partnership, and part or all of that unitholder’s gain would be effectively connected with that unitholder’s indirect U.S. trade or business. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a foreign unitholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a unit if (i) he owned (directly or constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the units or the five-year period ending on the date of disposition. Currently, more than 50% of our assets consist of U.S. real property interests and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Therefore, foreign unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their units.

Administrative Matters

Information Returns and Audit Procedures

We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder’s share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure you that those positions will yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor Baker Botts L.L.P. can assure prospective unitholders that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible. Any challenge by the IRS could negatively affect the value of the units.

The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year’s tax liability, and possibly may result in an audit of his return. Any audit of a unitholder’s return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to our returns.

Partnerships generally are treated as separate entities for purposes of federal tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings with the partners. The Code requires that one partner be designated as the “Tax Matters Partner” for these purposes. Our partnership agreement names our general partner as our Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner will make some elections on our behalf and on behalf of unitholders. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate.

 

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A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on his federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.

Pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, as amended by the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, if the IRS makes an audit adjustment to any of our income tax returns, it may assess and collect any taxes (including any applicable penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from us, unless we elect to have our general partner and unitholders take the audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit. Similarly, for such taxable years, if the IRS makes an audit adjustment to an income tax return filed by an entity in which we are a member or partner, it may assess and collect any taxes (including penalties and interest) resulting from such audit adjustment directly from such entity. Generally, we expect to elect to have our general partner and unitholders take any material audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit, but there can be no assurance that such election, if made, will be effective in all circumstances. With respect to an audit adjustment as to an entity in which we are a member or partner, we may not be able to have our general partner and our unitholders take such audit adjustment into account in accordance with their interests in us during the taxable year under audit, and if we are unable to do so, our then current unitholders may bear some or all of the tax liability resulting from such audit adjustment, even if such unitholders did not own our units during the taxable year under audit. If, as a result of any such audit adjustment, we are required to make payments of taxes, penalties, and interest, we may require our unitholders and former unitholders to reimburse us for such taxes (including any applicable penalties or interest) or, if we are required to bear such payment our cash available for distribution to our unitholders might be substantially reduced.

Additionally, pursuant to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, as amended by the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, the Code will no longer require that we designate a “tax matters partner” pursuant to Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code (prior to amendment by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015). Instead, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, we will be required to designate a partner, or other person, with a substantial presence in the United States as our partnership representative (“Partnership Representative”). The Partnership Representative will have the sole authority to act on our behalf for purposes of, among other things, U.S. federal income tax audits and judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS. If we do not make such a designation, the IRS can select any person as the Partnership Representative. We currently anticipate that we will designate our general partner (or one of its affiliates) as the Partnership Representative. Further, any actions taken by us or by the Partnership Representative on our behalf with respect to, among other things, U.S. federal income tax audits and judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS, will be binding on us and all of the unitholders.

Additional Withholding Requirements

Withholding taxes may apply to certain types of payments made to “foreign financial institutions” (as specially defined in the Code) and certain other non-U.S. entities. Specifically, a 30% withholding tax may be imposed on interest, dividends and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits and income from sources within the U.S. (“FDAP Income”), or gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of any property of a type which can produce interest or dividends from sources within the U.S. (“Gross Proceeds”) paid to a foreign financial institution or to a “non-financial foreign entity” (as specially defined in the Code), unless (i) the foreign financial institution undertakes certain diligence and reporting, (ii) the non-financial foreign entity either certifies it does not have any substantial U.S. owners or furnishes identifying information regarding each substantial U.S. owner or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules. If the payee is a foreign financial institution and is subject to the diligence and reporting requirements in clause (i) above, it must enter into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury requiring, among other things, that it undertake to identify accounts held by certain U.S. persons or U.S.-owned foreign entities, annually report certain information about such accounts, and withhold 30% on payments to noncompliant foreign financial institutions and certain other account holders. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, or future Treasury Regulations, may modify these requirements.

 

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These rules generally apply to payments of FDAP Income currently and will apply to payments of relevant Gross Proceeds from sales or dispositions occurring on or after January 1, 2019. Thus, to the extent we have FDAP Income or will have Gross Proceeds on or after January 1, 2019 that are not treated as effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business (please read “—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors”), unitholders who are foreign financial institutions or certain other non-US entities may be subject to withholding on distributions they receive from us, or their distributive share of our income, pursuant to the rules described above.

Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the potential application of these withholding provisions to their investment in our units.

Nominee Reporting

Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:

 

    the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;

 

    whether the beneficial owner is:

 

    a person that is not a U.S. person;

 

    a foreign government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or

 

    a tax-exempt entity;

 

    the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and

 

    specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from dispositions.

Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are U.S. persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $250 per failure, up to a maximum of $3.0 million per calendar year, is imposed by the Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.

Accuracy-Related Penalties

An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements, is imposed by the Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding that portion.

For individuals, a substantial understatement of income tax in any taxable year exists if the amount of the understatement exceeds the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or $5,000 ($10,000 for most corporations). The amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:

 

    for which there is, or was, “substantial authority”; or

 

    as to which there is a reasonable basis and the pertinent facts of that position are disclosed on the return.

If any item of income, gain, loss or deduction included in the distributive shares of unitholders might result in that kind of an “understatement” of income for which no “substantial authority” exists, we must disclose the

 

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pertinent facts on our return. In addition, we will make a reasonable effort to furnish sufficient information for unitholders to make adequate disclosure on their returns and to take other actions as may be appropriate to permit unitholders to avoid liability for this penalty. More stringent rules apply to “tax shelters,” which we do not believe includes us, or any of our investments, plans or arrangements.

A substantial valuation misstatement exists if (a) the value of any property, or the adjusted basis of any property, claimed on a tax return is 150% or more of the amount determined to be the correct amount of the valuation or adjusted basis, (b) the price for any property or services (or for the use of property) claimed on any such return with respect to any transaction between persons described in Code Section 482 is 200% or more (or 50% or less) of the amount determined under Section 482 to be the correct amount of such price, or (c) the net Code Section 482 transfer price adjustment for the taxable year exceeds the lesser of $5.0 million or 10% of the taxpayer’s gross receipts. No penalty is imposed unless the portion of the underpayment attributable to a substantial valuation misstatement exceeds $5,000 ($10,000 for most corporations). If the valuation claimed on a return is 200% or more than the correct valuation or certain other thresholds are met, the penalty imposed increases to 40%. We do not anticipate making any valuation misstatements.

In addition, the 20% accuracy-related penalty also applies to any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to transactions lacking economic substance. To the extent that such transactions are not disclosed, the penalty imposed is increased to 40%. Additionally, there is no reasonable cause defense to the imposition of this penalty to such transactions.

Reportable Transactions

If we were to engage in a “reportable transaction,” we (and possibly you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact that it is a type of tax avoidance transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a “listed transaction” or that it produces certain kinds of losses for partnerships, individuals, S corporations, and trusts in excess of $2.0 million in any single year, or $4.0 million in any combination of six successive tax years. Our participation in a reportable transaction could increase the likelihood that our federal income tax information return (and possibly your tax return) would be audited by the IRS. Please read “—Administrative Matters—Information Returns and Audit Procedures.”

Moreover, if we were to participate in a reportable transaction with a significant purpose to avoid or evade tax, or in any listed transaction, you may be subject to the following additional consequences:

 

    accuracy-related penalties with a broader scope, significantly narrower exceptions, and potentially greater amounts than described above at “—Administrative Matters—Accuracy-Related Penalties”;

 

    for those persons otherwise entitled to deduct interest on federal tax deficiencies, non-deductibility of interest on any resulting tax liability; and

 

    in the case of a listed transaction, an extended statute of limitations.

We do not expect to engage in any “reportable transactions.”

State, Local, Foreign and Other Tax Considerations

In addition to federal income taxes, you likely will be subject to other taxes, such as state, local and foreign income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property or in which you are a resident. We currently do business or own property in Colorado, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Ohio, New Mexico, Wyoming and West Virginia. Several of these states impose a personal income tax on individuals and certain of these states also impose an income tax on corporations and other entities. Moreover, in the future we may also own property or do

 

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business in other states that impose income or similar taxes on non-resident individuals and corporations. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder should consider their potential impact on his investment in us. Although you may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some jurisdictions if your income from that jurisdiction falls below the filing and payment requirement, you may be required to file income tax returns and to pay income taxes in other jurisdictions in which we do business or own property and may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. In some jurisdictions, tax losses may not produce a tax benefit in the year incurred and may not be available to offset income in subsequent taxable years. Some of the jurisdictions may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the jurisdiction. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder’s income tax liability to the jurisdiction, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld will be treated as if distributed to unitholders for purposes of determining the amounts distributed by us. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Entity-Level Collections.” Based on current law and our estimate of our future operations, our general partner anticipates that any amounts required to be withheld will not be material.

Tax Consequences of Ownership of Preferred Units

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of preferred units will be set forth in a prospectus supplement relating to the offering of preferred units.

Tax Consequences of Ownership of Debt Securities

A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of debt securities will be set forth in a prospectus supplement relating to the offering of debt securities.

It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent states, localities and foreign jurisdictions, of his investment in us. Accordingly, each prospective unitholder is urged to consult his own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state, local and foreign, as well as U.S. federal tax returns, that may be required of him. Baker Botts L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state, local or foreign tax consequences of an investment in us.

 

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INVESTMENT IN SUMMIT MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, LP BY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

An investment in us by an employee benefit plan is subject to additional considerations because the investments of these plans are subject to the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and the restrictions imposed by Section 4975 of the Code and provisions under any federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of the Code or ERISA (collectively, “Similar Laws”). For these purposes the term “employee benefit plan” includes, but is not limited to, qualified pension, profit-sharing and stock bonus plans, Keogh plans, simplified employee pension plans and tax deferred annuities or IRAs or annuities established or maintained by an employer or employee organization, and entities whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of such plans, accounts and arrangements (collectively, “Employee Benefit Plans”). Among other things, consideration should be given to:

 

    whether the investment is prudent under Section 404(a)(1)(B) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws;

 

    whether in making the investment, the plan will satisfy the diversification requirements of Section 404(a)(1)(C) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws;

 

    whether the investment will result in recognition of unrelated business taxable income by the plan and, if so, the potential after-tax investment return. Please read “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors”; and

 

    whether making such an investment will comply with the delegation of control and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, the Code and any other applicable Similar Laws.

The person with investment discretion with respect to the assets of an Employee Benefit Plan, often called a fiduciary, should determine whether an investment in us is authorized by the appropriate governing instrument and is a proper investment for the plan.

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Employee Benefit Plans from engaging, either directly or indirectly, in specified transactions involving “plan assets” with parties that, with respect to the Employee Benefit Plan, are “parties in interest” under ERISA or “disqualified persons” under the Code unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the ERISA plan that engaged in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Code.

Employee Benefit Plans that are “governmental plans” (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain “church plans” (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA or Section 4975(g)(3) of the Code) and non-U.S. plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) are generally not subject to the requirements of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code but may be subject to similar prohibitions under other applicable Similar Laws.

In addition to considering whether the purchase of our units is a prohibited transaction, a fiduciary should consider whether the Employee Benefit Plan will, by investing in us, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that our general partner would also be a fiduciary of such Employee Benefit Plan and our operations would be subject to the regulatory restrictions of ERISA, including its prohibited transaction rules, as well as the prohibited transaction rules of the Code, ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws.

The Department of Labor regulations and Section 3(42) of ERISA provide guidance with respect to whether, in certain circumstances, the assets of an entity in which Employee Benefit Plans acquire equity interests would be deemed “plan assets.” Under these regulations, an entity’s assets would not be considered to be “plan assets” if, among other things:

(a) the equity interests acquired by the Employee Benefit Plan are publicly offered securities—i.e., the equity interests are widely held by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and each other, are

 

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“freely transferable” (as defined in the regulations) and are registered under certain provisions of the federal securities laws;

(b) the entity is an “operating company,”—i.e., it is primarily engaged in the production or sale of a product or service, other than the investment of capital, either directly or through a majority-owned subsidiary or subsidiaries; or

(c) there is no significant investment by “benefit plan investors,” which is defined to mean that less than 25% of the value of each class of equity interest, disregarding certain interests held by our general partner, its affiliates and certain other persons, is held generally by Employee Benefit Plans.

Our assets should not be considered “plan assets” under these regulations because it is expected that the investment will satisfy the requirements in (a) and (b) above.

In light of the serious penalties imposed on persons who engage in prohibited transactions or other violations, plan fiduciaries contemplating a purchase of our units should consult with their own counsel regarding the consequences under ERISA, the Code and other Similar Laws.

 

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VALIDITY OF THE SECURITIES

In connection with particular offerings of the securities offered in this prospectus in the future, and if stated in the applicable prospectus supplements, the validity of the issuance of the securities and certain other legal matters will be passed upon for us by Baker Botts L.L.P., Houston, Texas. Legal counsel to any underwriters may pass upon legal matters for such underwriters and will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

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EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Summit Midstream Partners, LP and subsidiaries incorporated in this prospectus by reference from the Partnership’s Current Report on Form 8-K, as filed with the SEC on November 6, 2017, and the effectiveness of the Partnership’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The financial statements of Ohio Gathering Company, L.L.C. as of and for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 incorporated in this prospectus by reference to Exhibit 99.3 from the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The financial statements of Ohio Condensate Company, L.L.C. as of and for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 incorporated in this prospectus by reference to Exhibit 99.4 from the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The financial statements of Ohio Gathering Company, L.L.C. incorporated in this prospectus by reference to Exhibit 99.1 in the Summit Midstream Partners, LP Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

The financial statements of Ohio Condensate Company, L.L.C. incorporated in this prospectus by reference to Exhibit 99.2 in the Summit Midstream Partners, LP Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 have been so incorporated in reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.

 

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PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

Set forth below are the expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions) expected to be incurred in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities registered hereby.

 

SEC registration fee

   $             *  

Legal fees and expenses

     *

Accounting fees and expenses

     *

Printing and engraving expenses

     *

Transfer agent and registrar fees

     *

Miscellaneous

     *

Total

   $ *

 

* Under SEC Rule 456(b) and 457(r), the SEC registration fee will be paid at the time of any particular offering of securities under the Registration Statement, and is therefore not currently determinable.
** These fees are calculated based on the number of issuances and amount of securities offered and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

Summit Midstream Partners, LP

Subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions set forth in the partnership agreement, Section 17-108 of the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever. The section of the prospectus entitled “The Partnership Agreement—Indemnification” discloses that we will generally indemnify officers, directors and affiliates of our general partner to the fullest extent permitted by the law against all losses, claims, damages or similar events and is incorporated herein by reference.

We expect that any underwriting agreement to be entered into in connection with the sale of the securities offered pursuant to this registration statement will provide for indemnification by the underwriters of us, our general partner, our general partner’s directors and our general partner’s officers who sign the registration statement, and any person who controls us or our general partner, including indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act.

Summit Midstream GP, LLC

Subject to any terms, conditions or restrictions set forth in the limited liability company agreement, Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act empowers a Delaware limited liability company to indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.

Under the amended and restated limited liability agreement of our general partner, in most circumstances, our general partner will indemnify the following persons, to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (joint or several), expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties, interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings (whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative):

 

    any member of our general partner;

 

    any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner (other than us and our subsidiaries);

 

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    any person who is or was a member, partner, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of our general partner or any affiliate of our general partner (other than us and our subsidiaries);

 

    any person who is or was serving, at the request of our general partner or any affiliate of our general partner, as an officer, director, member, manager, partner, fiduciary or trustee of another person; and

 

    any person designated by the board of directors of our general partner.

Our general partner has purchased insurance covering its officers and directors against liabilities asserted and expenses incurred in connection with their activities as officers and directors of our general partner or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries.

Summit Holdings

Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC is a Delaware limited liability company. Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that a limited liability company may, subject to such standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in its limited liability company agreement, and has the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.

The limited liability company agreement of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC contains indemnification provisions that generally provide that Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC will indemnify, in most circumstances, any person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or arbitrative or in the nature of an alternative dispute resolution (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a member or manager of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ and experts’ fees) actually incurred by such person in connection with such proceeding.

Summit Midstream Finance Corp.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law also provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication

 

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of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.

To the extent that a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith; provided that indemnification provided for by Section 145 or granted pursuant thereto shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and a corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity or arising out of such person’s status as such whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liabilities under Section 145.

In addition, Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits Delaware corporations to include a provision in their certificates of incorporation eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provisions shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director: (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) for unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemptions; or (iv) for any transactions from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

The Certificate of Incorporation of Summit Midstream Finance Corp. currently provides that each director shall not be personally liable to such corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Article 6 of the Bylaws of Summit Midstream Finance Corp. sets forth the extent to which the directors and officers of Summit Midstream Finance Corp. may be indemnified by Summit Midstream Finance Corp. against liabilities which they may incur while serving in such capacity. Article 6 generally provides that Summit Midstream Finance Corp. shall indemnify the directors and officers of Summit Midstream Finance Corp. who are or were threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of Summit Midstream Finance Corp. or, while a director or officer of Summit Midstream Finance Corp., is or was serving, at the request of Summit Midstream Finance Corp., as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, against all liabilities and losses suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred in connection therewith. Subject to the procedures for indemnification of directors and officers set forth in the Bylaws, the indemnification of the directors and officers of Summit Midstream Finance Corp. provided for therein is in all other respects substantially similar to that provided for in Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Any such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of Summit Midstream Finance Corp. and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person.

Certain Subsidiary Guarantors

Each of Bison Midstream, LLC, Grand River Gathering, LLC, DFW Midstream Services LLC, Red Rock Gathering Company, LLC, Polar Midstream, LLC, Epping Transmission Company, LLC, Summit Midstream Marketing, LLC and Summit Midstream Permian, LLC is a Delaware limited liability company (each, a “Delaware LLC”). Section 18-108 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act provides that a limited liability company may, subject to such standards and restrictions, if any, as are set forth in its limited liability company agreement, and has the power to, indemnify and hold harmless any member or manager or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.

 

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The limited liability company agreement of each of Bison Midstream, LLC, Red Rock Gathering Company, LLC, Polar Midstream, LLC, Epping Transmission Company, LLC and Summit Midstream Permian, LLC contains indemnification provisions that generally provide that such Delaware LLC will indemnify, in most circumstances, any person who was or is made party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or arbitrative or in the nature of an alternative dispute resolution (a “proceeding”) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a member or manager of such Delaware LLC against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ and experts’ fees) actually incurred by such person in connection with such proceeding.

The limited liability company agreement of Grand River Gathering, LLC contains indemnification provisions that generally provide that such Delaware LLC will indemnify, in most circumstances, the members, officers, employees, agents of Grand River Gathering, LLC and any employee, representative, agent or affiliate of the members for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such person in good faith on behalf of Grand River Gathering, LLC and in a manner reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such person.

The limited liability company agreement of DFW Midstream Services LLC contains indemnification provisions that generally provide that such Delaware LLC will indemnify, in most circumstances, the members, the managing member, officers and the members or managing members of an affiliate of such Delaware LLC that were or are a party or are threatened to be made a party to or are involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or arbitrative or in the nature of an alternative dispute resolution against judgment, penalties, fines, settlements and reasonable expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ and experts’ fees) actually incurred by such person in connection with such proceeding.

The limited liability company agreement of Summit Midstream Marketing, LLC contains indemnification provisions that generally provide that such Delaware LLC will indemnify, in most circumstances, the member and officers that were or are a party or are threatened to be made a party to or are involved in any loss, liability, damage, judgment, demand, claim, cost or expense arising out of any act or omission in connection with Summit Midstream Marketing, LLC.

Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the person’s conduct was unlawful.

Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law also provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and except that no

 

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indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.

To the extent that a present or former director or officer of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith; provided that indemnification provided for by Section 145 or granted pursuant thereto shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the indemnified party may be entitled; and a corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity or arising out of such person’s status as such whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liabilities under Section 145.

In addition, Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law permits Delaware corporations to include a provision in their certificates of incorporation eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provisions shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director: (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) for unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemptions; or (iv) for any transactions from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

The Certificate of Incorporation of Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp. currently provides that each director shall not be personally liable to such corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Article 6 of the Bylaws of Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp. sets forth the extent to which the directors and officers of Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp. may be indemnified by Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp. against liabilities which they may incur while serving in such capacity. Article 6 generally provides that Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp. shall indemnify the directors and officers of Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp. who are or were threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp. or, while a director or officer of Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp., is or was serving, at the request of Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp., as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or nonprofit entity, against all liabilities and losses suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) reasonably incurred in connection therewith. Subject to the procedures for indemnification of directors and officers set forth in the Bylaws, the indemnification of the directors and officers of Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp. provided for therein is in all other respects substantially similar to that provided for in Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Any such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp. and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person.

 

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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 

(a) Exhibits

 

  1.1**       Form of Underwriting Agreement
  3.1       First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Summit Midstream Partners, LP dated as of October  3, 2012 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Summit Midstream Partners, LP’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 4, 2012) (File No.  001-35666)
  3.2       Certificate of Limited Partnership of Summit Midstream Partners, LP (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to SMLP’s Form S-1 Registration Statement dated August 21, 2012 (File No. 333-183466)
  3.3       Certificate of Formation of Summit Midstream GP, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 to SMLP’s Form S-1 Registration Statement dated August 21, 2012) (File No. 333-183466)
  3.4       Limited Liability Company Agreement of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, dated as of March  30, 2011 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Summit Midstream Partners, LP’s Form S-3ASR filed on July 8, 2014)
  3.5       Certificate of Incorporation of Summit Midstream Finance Corp., dated as of May  29, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Summit Midstream Partners, LP’s Form S-3ASR filed on July 8, 2014)
  3.6       Bylaws of Summit Midstream Finance Corp. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to Summit Midstream Partners, LP’s Form S-3ASR filed on July 8, 2014)
  4.1       Base Indenture, dated as of July  15, 2014, by and among Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, Summit Midstream Finance Corp. and U.S. Bank National Association (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Summit Midstream Partners, LP’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 15, 2014) (Commission File No. 001-35666))
  4.2**       Form of Debt Securities
  5.1*       Opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered
  8.1*       Opinion of Baker Botts L.L.P. relating to tax matters
12.1*       Calculation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
23.1*       Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
23.2*       Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
23.3*       Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
23.4*       Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
23.5*       Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
23.6*       Consents of Baker Botts L.L.P. (contained in Exhibits 5.1 and 8.1)
24.1+       Powers of Attorney (except with respect to Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp., a copy of which is filed herewith on the signature pages of this Registration Statement)
25.1+       Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of the Trustee under the Indenture

 

* Filed herewith.
** To be filed as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or in a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement.
+ Previously filed.

 

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Item 17. Undertakings

A. Each undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(a) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”);

(b) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of the prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 (b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement;

(c) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to the information in this Registration Statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (A)(l)(a), (A)(l)(b) and (A)(1)(c) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each of the post-effective amendments shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

(a) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(b) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

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(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this Registration Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(a) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(b) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(c) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(d) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

B. Each undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of its annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 15 above, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

D. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

(i) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

(ii) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

E. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Summit Midstream Partners, LP
By:        

Summit Midstream GP, LLC,

its general partner

By:  

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew F. Delaney

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Peter Labbat

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Thomas K. Lane

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Jerry L. Peters

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Scott A. Rogan

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Jeffrey R. Spinner

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Susan Tomasky

   Director   November 6, 2017

 

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Signature

  

Title

 

Date

*

Robert M. Wohleber

   Director   November 6, 2017
*    

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Midstream GP, LLC, in its capacity as the general partner of Summit Midstream Partners, LP, in its capacity as the sole member of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC   November 6, 2017
*      

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Summit Midstream Finance Corp.
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Thomas K. Lane

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Jerry L. Peters

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Scott A. Rogan

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Jeffrey R. Spinner

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Susan Tomasky

   Director   November 6, 2017

*

Robert M. Wohleber

   Director   November 6, 2017
*      

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

    
 

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Bison Midstream, LLC
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Bison Midstream, LLC   November 6, 2017
*      

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Grand River Gathering, LLC
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Grand River Gathering, LLC   November 6, 2017
*      

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

DFW Midstream Services LLC
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, in its capacity as the sole managing member of DFW Midstream Services LLC   November 6, 2017

*    

 

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Red Rock Gathering Company, LLC
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Grand River Gathering, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Red Rock Gathering Company, LLC   November 6, 2017

*    

 

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Polar Midstream, LLC
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Bison Midstream, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Polar Midstream, LLC   November 6, 2017

*    

 

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Epping Transmission Company, LLC
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)  

November 6, 2017

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Bison Midstream, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Polar Midstream, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Epping Transmission Company, LLC   November 6, 2017

*    

 

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Summit Midstream Marketing, LLC
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Summit Midstream Marketing, LLC   November 6, 2017
*      

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Summit Midstream Permian, LLC
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

*

Matthew S. Harrison

   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   President and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC, in its capacity as the sole member of Summit Midstream Permian, LLC   November 6, 2017
*      

/s/ BROCK M. DEGEYTER

Brock M. Degeyter

Attorney-in-fact

    

 

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Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in The Woodlands, State of Texas, on November 6, 2017.

 

Summit Midstream Permian Finance Corp.
By:        

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

  Name:         Steven J. Newby
  Title:   President and Chief Executive Officer

Each person whose signature appears below appoints Steven J. Newby and Brock M. Degeyter, and each of them, any of whom may act without the joinder of the other, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and any registration statement (including any amendment thereto) for this offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their or his substitute and substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ STEVEN J. NEWBY

Steven J. Newby

   Director, President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)   November 6, 2017

/s/ MATTHEW S. HARRISON

Matthew S. Harrison

   Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)   November 6, 2017

 

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